Life

#EmnBWed – November Update

| The Bee Life

The countdown is truly on.  The August countdown was a total fake-out, sorry gang. But B and I picked our second, real wedding date.   And our dream venue has officially been booked, so no take-backs now.  No destination wedding, no 30-people, no summer wedding – it’s happening in the city we fell in love with, with all our family and friends.

B and I celebrated our one-year out date this past weekend with some expensive champagne, a nice dinner out at a restaurant that screamed our wedding venue almost to a T and surprised each other with sweet gifts and love notes. It was perfect. wedding-inspiration-november-update

It’s getting to the point where the details just need to get finalized, since a lot of them are currently floating in my head or on pinterest!  Words to describe the vision of our day would be, classic, elegant, white/gold and effortless.

A few of the upcoming to-do’s include design of invitations getting started with our friend, figuring out a caterer and finding/purchasing the dress. We are slowly knocking off a lot of the big to-do’s on the list and then it’ll be the fun stuff like the details and decorations. Yay!

xoxo

Weekend Recap – Clam Bake

| The Bee Life

This past weekend, continued the theme of our jammed packed October (fall-filled) weekends! And because of that I needed an extra day to recover since it was such a whirlwind.

It was my aunt’s annual clam bake weekend, which meant our house was full of family and friends.  The clam bake was super special this year since we celebrated my Aunt’s 60th birthday, not to mention the Indians are headed to the World Series; WOOO! So more family than usual came into town and the normal guest list was skimmed down to VIP’s only.  Although it was about 80+ VIPs. When you throw together good food, family, friends, corn hole, pumpkin beers, football pools and some good games you can’t go wrong with an awesome night.

The rest of the weekend leading up to the clambake was full of rude contractors, cleaning the house (pre and post), friends, brunch, and a nap or two. This month has been a blast but is flying by, I can’t believe we’re a week away from November!

#EmnBWed – October Update

| The Bee Life

Did my last wedding update scare a few of you? Have you been waiting anxiously for my next update, in fear of asking me in person? *winks*

Well we went to Jackson Hole this past August, mainly to plan our wedding. We really wanted to go the nontraditional route with a smaller destination wedding, something intimate, something different and in a place we both love. Something about us and not everyone else.

We went and met with florists, had a meal tasting at the venue, met with and visited the church. The details were nearly finalized, we just wanted to see everything in person and then make some deposits to secure the venues and date!  Our dream wedding out west was becoming reality, a reality I never thought was possible. There were a few bumps, a few stubborn people with opinions (not comprehending our initial intention or wishes – hence the September Update), we went back and forth on some details, the guest list and did the final number crunching.

But something was off. Delay of planning once again.

Fast forward to a few weekends post JH and days after my last update. We went to visit a venue in CLE we had made plans to see a long time ago anticipating a CLE reception post intimate JH wedding.

Are you staying with me?

So we visited this local venue and everything changed. I didn’t think I would get goosebumps walking into a venue, but I did, and I had them the whole time. We left there, looked at each other and both said, “Well that has to happen.” We both fell in love all over again.

Of all the things that had been unsure until that point, we had one moment of clarity and a moment in all of this when we just knew.

Plans had changed and planning was back on. We were going all in.

Photo credit: Timothy Logan Photography

Weekend Recap – A New York Fall

| The Bee Life

We had another jammed packed weekend, full of family and everything fall.  We ventured to my parents house for the weekend.
Weekend Recap - NY & Fall.png
Saturday morning we ventured over to my brother and SIL’s new house!! It’s so beautiful.It was great seeing it in person, it has a lot of that century home character that B and I both love, except it’s updated in the right places (like the kitchen and bathrooms).  We also had a delicious brunch at their house, a breakfast pizza, which I need to get the recipe for! It was delicious.

Saturday night we headed over to my cousins house, another new house that we got to see a tour of their new house, which was also beautiful! They hosted their first annual chili cook-off, it was a cool fall evening.  There were 8-different chili’s with various toppings and the desserts were to die for. I was sipping on apple cider and champagne all night.  We also played a game of Cards Against Humanity, with our moms!  It was great getting in some extended family time in with some awesome laughs too!

Sunday morning we went to church with the whole fam, got breakfast at the local diner and then headed out to the local apple orchard/pumpkin farm.  B ended up picking out a 26 pound pumpkin! We got some McIntyre apples, apple pies will be being made soon.

It was seriously the quintessential fall weekend, the weather, the leaves coloring, the activities, company, the poncho and boots, it was just perfect.

 

#EmnBWed – September Update

| The Bee Life

It’s about that time for another check-in on our wedding planning… or, surprise, surprise, lack thereof. When I was planning ahead for this post I had ideas on what I would share, hoping to share progress and real updates, but, that didn’t all go as planned, alas back at square one. So instead of forgoing the post and not having any true updates (besides what I am about to share), I wanted to share my experience in case someone else is  going through the same thing as they plan their wedding or in case someone experienced what I did, and can share a word of wisdom or two.

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photo cred: www.timothy-logan.com

I’ve heard the nightmare stories of wedding planning, although most of those happen closer to the wedding or in the planning steps of actuality – not during the hypothetical talks of ideas or wants….  all I can say is that if it gets worse (the opinions, guilt and lack of support, mainly from family) then I am quitting and throwing in the towel. Right. Now. Most people who know me, know that being stubborn is one of my finer qualities, *winks* and I bet would be surprised at the ease of me giving up, but just the decisions or debates around hypothetical’s is exhausting… it’s defeating.

I hit a breaking point over the weekend.  I told said person I am no longer discussing “the wedding” with them, until further notice. And only in that moment was said person, acting to be “OK” with everything I have been saying since day one. Nope, sorry, don’t believe it.

I have been joking and throwing out the idea… to well, everyone about eloping to try and warm them up to the idea, because… well… I’m pretty <f88k88> serious about it.  What I see in other weddings is that it becomes quickly about everyone beside the bride and groom. And in my mind, that day, the wedding, is just strictly that – all about the bride and groom. I want that special moment, that commitment, strictly between B and I.

At this rate, we won’t be getting married until 2019… (if it’s not eloping)… so I guess I’ve got awhile to figure this whole wedding thing out.  Wanting to be different in the way things are done, is not always the easiest way – especially if you’re the first one to do it.

I just want easy and simple – classic and elegant – me and B.

Cheers to being different!

Missing out on other wedding updates? Catch-up with:
Wedding Woes || Our Engagement Pictures || #EmnBWed – The Date 

Weekend Recap – Farms & Firsts

| The Bee Life

This past weekend has been a busy one, B and I have been little social bees.  It was fun, yet exhausting especially since I am still fighting my summer cold. But I must admit this past weekend has only gotten me more excited for this upcoming weekend – just you wait! Eeeek!

The weekend was officially kicked off with a baseball game Friday night with most of B’s family to celebrate his cousin’s 18th birthday!  It was a perfect night for a game, not to mention it was dollar dog night and Rat Pack fireworks.  And after the hellish end of my work Friday a few cold Miller Lite’s hit the spot.

Saturday morning started with a Girl’s Brunch at A’s house. It was the perfect morning catching up with the girls from my previous job, the girls that are so near and dear to me. Not to mention we were able to see her beautiful house and beautiful farm.  They have chickens, cows, pigs and sheep! It was fun walking around the farm and actually seeing so much of what A has told us about.  It was also great getting some girl time outside of the normal city-scape and quick lunch meet-ups.

Sunday was all about Miss Avery as we celebrated her FIRST birthday, the first of many!  It was a Minnie Mouse theme, with pink all over and it was adorably perfect.  This being my first, first birthday party in my adult life, I wasn’t sure what to expect – honestly I was hoping for a bounce house. Maybe there will be one at her 2nd birthday *smiles* She definitely pulled a diva moment with her smash cake and wanted nothing to do with it. But quickly shaped up in time to open her presents, that-a-girl. She got ridiculously spoiled with adorable outfits, stuffed animals and toys; which I admit we participated in. The summer has been moving quick, so it was good to see B’s family all under one roof.

IMG_5291It was a fun, busy weekend full of family and friends.  This week might be a bit torturous to get through, only because the excitement for Saturday is going to start increasing daily!  No telling. You’ll have to wait and see but I’ll give ya a hint, wedding.

Have a good week!

My MOH Proposal

| The Bee Life

This past week, I finally popped the question to my BFF, Katie, if she would be my MOH!! Now this is probably no surprise to any (especially if you’ve kept up with my MOH journey for Katie’s wedding).  I don’t think it was a surprise to Katie either, since we’ve had a lot of chats about it throughout her wedding festivities and ever since I’ve been engaged. So knowing all of this, and knowing that I am 260 miles away from Katie on a regular basis, I wanted to surprise her!  So after racking my brain away on exactly how to do it, I came up with…. I would send her gold letter balloons spelling out “MOH?” (each in a different box, labeled) with a card, and then a champagne flute and champagne with some other goodies in a basket.

Well finding golden balloon letters was a bit of a challenge, especially the question mark. And I wasn’t trying to spend a fortune, so I ordered the MOH from amazon and the question mark from etsy… it was a bit of a process. I finally got the balloons in the mail, I had ordered the 40″ letters instead of 16″ – thinking the 16″ would be too small… well the 40″ were gigantic (a lot larger than my mind had scaled them to be, oops!) So the box option got shot out of the window, because the boxes would’ve been ginormous.

Back to the drawing board for the surprise.

Luckily my mom was in town the other weekend when I’d received the balloons, I schemed with her to see if she could (1) get the balloons blown up and (2) coordinate with Katie’s mom to get the balloons in Katie’s house during the day. She could take the balloons and card back home and help me put everything into place.

The plan was back on.

Since a few of the other details didn’t arrive in time and the box thing go thrown off, I had to (I say had too, because if you know me, things need to be over the top) send along some roses with the balloons. I had already ordered the card way ahead of time since it was a pinterest find ages ago. It was perfect. Not to mention I was able to pick out a gold envelope that would match perfectly with the gold balloons.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/270236121/will-you-be-my-bridesmaid-cards-i-cant?ref=shop_home_feat_2

So this past Wednesday, my Mom and Lori got the balloons into Katie’s house and all set-up in the dinning room (and yes the balloons fit in my moms car), sending me pictures along the way.  It was perfect, oh and the balloons were still HUGE.  Hehe. So once things got set-up, I waited. I got a call around 5:30 from Katie telling me she had these massive balloons in her house that just about scared the crap out of her… and that of course she would be my MOH. 
IMG_4987She said, Yes!!

I can’t wait to have Katie help me along the way and share in these special moments, like I got to share in with all of hers.  I have a MOH! The distance was tough during Katie’s wedding, but it’s these moments that it’s especially tough and I wish I could’ve just drove to her house (in a timely matter).  But this just means we will have to plan a few more weekends that normal together!
IMG_5008IMG_5010It was fun surprising Katie from 260 miles away.  I can’t wait to see her in person and give her a gigantic hug and part 2 of the MOH proposal!

Cheers!

 

Weekend Recap – Family Fun

| The Bee Life

Whenever my weekends are especially fun, it always makes Monday’s that much harder but it’s the good weekends that also help plow through the work week!

This weekend was certainly a busy one and non-stop.  My parents arrived in town Friday afternoon and we had plans for “happy hour” at my aunts before we went to Twilight at the Zoo.  Well “happy hour” lasted a bit longer than expected and between the good company and the heat, we never made it to the zoo! Whoops. Instead we went to a late dinner at a local wine bar and got some yummy pizza (yes, cheat day!)

Saturday we woke up, enjoyed some fresh coffee and then started the day with an appointment at a potential wedding venue. It was an awesome venue, but not sure if it’s the one. From there we ran a few errands and then picked up the pups to hit the road to my aunt and uncle’s house.  We went boating with them and my cousin Hailee for most of the afternoon.  It was a perfect day to be out on the water and work on the tan.  We used to go out on their boat almost every summer with the rest of the extended family but haven’t done that in yearrssss. So it was fun to be back out on the lake, go tubing and enjoy some beverages and laughs with the family.  It was especially nice to spend some more time with Hailee, as I get older, I try not to take for granted the time I get with my cousins we all used to see each other so much and now it’s rare treats!

We all took turns tubing. I always forget how intense it is, it’s always a little scary yet thrilling thing to do, I definitely scream a lot and laugh (my voice was a bit scratchy the rest of the night!) haha, my Uncle Ron does a good job at stirring and getting some waves.  B and I went out twice and survived the first but I fell off the second time.  My dad and B also hit some good waves and got some air, so much that the tube was flipped upside down!  We were definitely all sore the next day. #GettingOld But, in between tubing we did relax and enjoy the lake, sunshine and company.

Eventually we headed back to my aunt and uncle’s house for a cookout, to eat the yummiest marinated chicken breasts, corn on the cob and fruit salad. It was perfection. We ended with some apple crisp pie before hitting the road back home. It was a long day! We definitely all slept good.

Sunday we went to church and the brunch (at our favorite spot; Jammy Buggars) we then headed to the house and squeezed a few small home projects in, so my dad could help us out with!  It was another beautiful day, finally cool (and by cool: low-80’s) so we enjoyed a little puppy play date with our neighbors and got a few other things done around the house.  Another great weekend in the books and another week of life to live.

Here’s to a successful week!

Latest Obsessions: August Edition

| The Bee Life

Starting out on the first Friday of August, here’s what I am obsessed with lately!  Even though it seems like summer is coming to an end, it still feels like we are just getting started and have a lot more hot days and weekends to enjoy! So I hope you enjoy and share in some of these latest obsessions.

Kate Spade: Outdoor & Home
I first saw some of these gems at a Hallmark on steroids on our Denver trip.  It was the Hallmark location in Cherry Creek. And it was amazing! I also thought the plastic cups with fun lemon patterns, polka dots and other bright patterned pieces were perfect, especially for summer. I don’t know if I would actually spend the money on these, but I feel like everyone needs a good set of entertaining plastics ‘glasses’ or wine glasses.  And everything else is just too cute and perfect to keep summer lasting!

latest obsessions - the bee life
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Our Engagement Pictures
We have been getting teased with small batches of our engagement pictures since we first had them done in mid-June.  It’s been a little torturous waiting to see what the rest look like after getting teased with the first 5 and then a week later 5 more… but they have definitely been worth the wait! I received the latest batch of the most current and I honestly can’t stop staring at them. I’m a hypocrite for mocking every other bride-to-be who posted a million engagement pictures one right after the other on social… so I am definitely pacing myself from blasting them all! So you all get the first peak of the next batch. *smiles*

Photo credit: timothylogan.com 

Silver Picture Frames
Sooo… Marshall’s has been killing it with elegant, classic silver frames lately.  I first bought a few for my mom and FMIL to give them a picture of when B and I got engaged, but now that we have these awesome engagement photos coming in I need more! The pictures just pop in the frames whether its a color or  black & white photo. I was half tempted to buy all new frames for our living room, but quickly realized that was a bit ridiculous … but maybe it’ll still happen.

What’ve you been obsessing over lately? Leave a comment below & let me know!

TGIF!