Today

This resonates with me pretty well today...happy almost weekend!

Wedding Wednesday: Engagement Party Edition

So, the next couple months are gonna be currrazzzy. Beginning in February, we have engagement parties to attend, Austin's bachelor party and my first bridal shower (so excited!) With March comes my bachelorette, more showers, and more engagement parties for other engaged couples! Before I know it, it will be April and I will be gettin' hitched and stuff. With that said, I'm taking my down time right now to get gifts squared away for things we have coming up. First up, an engagement party in a couple of weeks. I like to bring gifts to these types of things, but am looking for some new unique ideas. Any ideas floating around out there? Here are some ideas I thought were cute:

Just because its adorable

The couple that cooks together stays together

Because you need something to toast with! Austin and I received a bottle of this at our engagement party and became hooked!

For toasting to newly engaged bliss!

For displaying their engagement photos

Any other neat ideas out there?

xo,

Katie 

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

Some people have a love/hate relationship with Valentine's Day. I personally love the "Hallmark holiday." I think its a great time to show the ones you love that you love them even more than you do on a daily basis! Below I have put together a mini gift guide that I sure would love to receive on the 14th! They vary in all prices, high to low! I have included the links below on where to buy everything if something catches your eye! :) 

xo,

Katie

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Weekend Recap

This past weekend was relatively low key. Friday night, Raleigh experienced an "ice storm" that left us a little stranded for the evening. We had dinner at Fox and Hound (all that was open) but they managed to have cold beer and surprisingly delicious guacamole, so all was right with me. Saturday, we went to the State/UNC game and then met up with some old friend for celebratory drinks afterwards.

As if I didn't post enough photos of my child dog

Basketball game with my future MIL in 88 short days (whoa)

My sweet friend Kathryn from DC was in town for the weekend. We missed her


Sunday, I opted for a change of scenery and headed home to the coast for a little R&R and minor wedding planning. (Less than 3 months to go! As if I needed the reminder from Knot.com) I so enjoy my time at home with my mom. We spend our evenings cooking up new recipes, drinking wine and just unwinding from all that life brings. There really is no place like home! 

Have you read "My One Word"? The pastor at our church in Wilmington wrote it and it really is a great read! With the start of a fresh year, it is great for helping pinpoint what really means most to you and how to just enjoy what you love most MORE. Taking time for the simple things tends to sometimes be a major flaw that I am working on fixing! Note: This is not a "self-help" book for any of you that are adamantly against those types of books :)

Here is a little snippet of my motivation for the week. I loved this little print so much, it made it to the iPhone wallpaper too!

Make it a great one!

xo,

Katie 

Gallery Walls Galore

Hope everyone is keeping warm out there! I woke up to my phone reading 18 degrees this morning. However, I'm sure most of  you have got me beat. Our last home in Georgetown is currently blanketed with snow. No. Thanks. Anyway, I digress. Last week I finally completed my gallery wall that I have been planning for going on a  year now. Much of my procrastination was due to the fact I wasn't quite sure which wall to place it on. Once we moved into our new place, I knew our gallery wall had the perfect future home above our bar cart. I decided to make most of the photos on the wall from our year in DC. I'm glad I did. I now find myself looking at those photos quite frequently! Other photos are from our engagement and our dog (of course).

I decided not to do a print on this wall, and keep it strictly for "memories." I think I am now hooked and will do another wall in our bedroom with prints I have been collecting as well as photos. Here is my creation: (don't judge for the minor mis-measurements. After hour 3, I was so over it, I ditched the tape measure and just went to hammering and drinking)

Have any of you done your own gallery wall? Do you have any tips for making life easier when it comes to measurements? I welcome any advice before I start round two! I also need to think of a good enough bribe to have Austin help me lacquer our bar cart that we have been discussing for a solid year. Again, I'm indecisive on color. Was thinking either a gold or bright red may even be fun (insert my blog post about adding color to our home)

Here are some other gallery walls that I love.

 

xoxo,

Katie

Favorite Fridays: Honeymoon Edition

I can't believe we will be off on our honeymoon in a little over three short months. Austin is surprising me with our honeymoon destination and is not telling me where we are headed until we arrive at the airport at 5am. I was a little stressed being the control freak planner that I am. But thankfully,  he was able to tell me the "type" of clothing to pack. He said "pack for hot." I can "pack for hot." Here are a few items I have my eye on that I would love to bring along for our first vacay as a Mr. and Mrs!

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 Has anyone else ever had their husband surprise them with their honeymoon location? I cannot wait for some much needed R&R!

Happy Weekend!

xo,

Katie  

Snow Day

They are calling for "snow" here tonight and tomorrow. Snow in the south = panic ensues. When, the reality is, we probably won't see anything but a few flakes. However, I sure wouldn't mind a snow day! 

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Monday

Here's to tackling all of the items on my ongoing "to do list" today. Have I mentioned I'm obsessed with lists? Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

 

xoxo,

Katie

 

Wedding Wednesday

 A couple weeks ago, I posted a list of everything I have done and have yet to do before our wedding. Mostly, this list helps me remember whats left on the on-going to do list. Are there any April brides out there? If so, how am I pacing on this? I assume everyone plans at their own pace, however it would be nice to know how behind I actually may be ;-)

Set a date

Book venue

Book photographer

Book videographer- not doing one

Book Band for reception

Ask bridal party to be in wedding

Book caterer & bar- included at club

Create wedding website

       Register     

Book florist

Buy wedding dress 

Book ceremony & cocktail hour musicians

Book rentals-

Take engagement pictures 

Select bridesmaid dresses

Have bridesmaids order dresses
Select and order groom & groomsmen attire

Have groomsmen order suits

Select Groomsmen Ties- This. Will. Be. The. Death. Of. Me. (still no progress)
Purchase veil

Book cake baker
Hire coordinator –

Buy cake knife & server- beautiful vintage one is now MINE!

Order save the dates
Finalize guest list    

Send save the dates  

Book officiant  

Pre-marital counseling

Order guest book- our planner came up with the coolest idea I can't wait to do!

Hotel room blocks
Hire a calligrapher- THANKS MOM!

MOB & MOG dress shopping

Find wedding shoes

Find wedding jewelry- keeping it simple!

   Find garter   

Book makeup artist & hair stylist 

Book hair and makeup trial appointment

                                                   Select Reception Food

Take bridal portraits – still deciding on this, necessary?

Dress Fitting- thankfully I think I only need one with the style of my dress, thankfully!

Order ceremony programs

Order invitations- ordered!

Mail invitations- early February

Book rehearsal dinner venue  

  Rehearsal Dinner music

Buy Rehearsal Dinner dress- waiting for Spring stuff to come out!

Bridal Party Transportation

Buy bridal party gifts- picked out for bridesmaids!

Bachelorette party – March! Woop Woop

Bachelor party- Early March

Bridal Showers – Working on this! Early Spring

Purchase wedding bands- picked out!

Put together picture list for photographer

Get marriage license- YAY! 

Order wedding favors- picked out

Book transportation from reception to hotel- next door to reception venue

Book honeymoon – IT’S A SURPRISE!

Honeymoon shopping

Gift for Groom- picked out 

Rehearsal Dinner  invitations- picked out

Music selections to band and ceremony artist

Book wedding night hotel room

Order thank you notes

Getaway Car- booked a vintage Rolls Royce! so excited!
Dance Lessons start at the end of the month!

 Walk down the aisle & say I do!

I try to give my wedding planning breaks here and there so that I don't burn myself out. Some brides say they pour themselves into planning upwards of 3 (!) hours per night. I simply cannot do that. One, my ADD would seriously kick in. Two, I feel like planning is supposed to be fun and exciting and lets be honest, not much is fun and exciting after hours upon hours. Austin's mom is coming into town this evening, I am excited to go over rehearsal dinner details with her! 

This is my most favorite photo I have come across this week. I can't wait to show it to our photographer for wedding day inspiration. Mostly because our reception takes place oceanside, Austin's suit is this exact shade and my veil may or may not be the perfect for this photo opportunity.

I'm off to yoga! Happy Wednesday!

xo,

Katie

Bedroom Dilemma

Now that all of the boxes are unpacked and out of the house, I am now desperately trying to decorate this literal blank slate. And by blank slate, I mean, I have so much white in my house I need sunglasses in our living room in the afternoon. I have always known I was a person a little afraid of too much color in our home, and I seriously need to cut that shit out accept color. I see sooo many adorable designs with colors everywhere, I just sometimes finding it so hard to start in our own home. Has anyone else dealt with this? Maybe I should close out my other internet window with a white arm chair in my shopping cart...design fail.  I adore the clean, simplicity of white design, but ya'll, a little color never hurt anyone.

My biggest concern right now is our bedroom. Ivory walls, white bed, and neutral bedding. In short, it could almost pass as as an insane asylum. My hopes is to do a little shopping this week to spice things up. Most importantly our bedside for some flair. I adore these (and this is seriously outside of what this girl is used to) 2013 shall be the year of positive change! 

  (I adore how this doubles as a sitting area)

I am hoping to find the perfect tray, vase and print for starters! 

-K 

 

Lately

The past two weeks have been a complete whirlwind. Between Christmas, New Years, oh yeah and moving states, I am finally starting to catch my breath. We made the move from Washington to North Carolina on December 22nd and are beginning to settle in our new home. Going from a place over two times the size of your previous abode makes for a lot of empty space and furniture hunting. More on that to come later. I am so excited for all 2013 and all that comes with it.  Happy New Year! (a little belated)

 I took this photo on my final morning walk in Georgetown before the sun had really come up. It was so peaceful and sentimental all at the same time. I miss that little Starbucks already!

 Sorry, Bailey.

 

Christmas at home was a great time to refresh and recharge from the move. Bailey enjoyed waiting for Santa.

  

 Clearly, it looks like someone has had too much egg nog.

 

 

On our first night back after Christmas we had our annual girls dinner and drinks downtown Raleigh. It was so wonderful to see all of these ladies. We are all spread out all over the place these days and being able to laugh and catch up is always one of my favorite times! 

xoxo,

K