Ring-a-ding-dings

The story of our wedding rings actually began months ago when I received an e-mail from the Knot about a trunk show in the DC area. As luck would have it the jeweler was featuring my engagement setting designer, Verragio AND offering 20% discount on purchases. (Sa-weeeet.) Since I already knew I was going to order my engagement setting's matching band, making an appointment was really a no-brainer for me. As luck would have it, they were also featuring some men's bands as well, and Mr. Hawk had the opportunity to try on some rings.

Before we arrived he was pretty insistent that he was going to get a ring with a little bling bling; however, once he started trying them on, he instantly gravitated away from diamonds and straight toward tungsten. The darker metal looked great on his skin and he was still able to get some detailing that he was looking for. (And it really didn't hurt that the metal matched his prized watch that he wears daily.) 

We placed our order that day and then kind of... forgot about them. With the busyness of the holidays and everything else on our plates, the rings were moved completely to the back burner. Other appointments took our attention and driving up to DC wasn't even on our top ten to-do list.

Recently we received a call from the jewelry to shame us into gently remind us to pick up the rings. Since we wouldn't be able to make it up anytime soon, they generously shipped them to us. So instead of the drive to DC, I just had to make a trip to the local FedEx facility.

Without further ado, the debut of our wedding bands:

Anyone else go to a trunk show to purchase your rings? What was the most important aspect in making a selection? (Metal? Style?)

All photos personal

The Bow Tie Arrives

Finding bow ties in the perfect shade of yellow to match the bridesmaids dresses was not an easy feat. I spent hours online browsing before I conceeded that my old friend Etsy might be the best option. I stalked a number of shops before deciding on Tux & Tulle, which offered a vast array of yellow prints. The shop owner, Jane, was incredibly helpful. When I sent her several prints I was interested in, I also forwarded a picture of one of the dresses. Since she was so familiar with the fabric, she was able to steer me towards the best options.

I ordered just one to start to ensure that the color was close enough to the dresses. Recently the tie came in and I am super-pleased! So without further ado...

Here is Mr. H sporting the bow tie (with his running shirt no less, sigh...)

And here is the bow tie next to one of the dresses:

What do y'all think? I'm pretty darn pleased with the match. It may not be exact, but I think it's about as close as we're going to get. (And the print couldn't be more perfect.)

Anyone else struggle with matching the bridesmaid and groomsmen?

All photos personal

Exit Strategies

A few days ago the New York Times posted an article in their Weddings/Celebrations section entitled "Talking Points." The article consisted of a short list of questions that the author suggested couples discuss prior to marriage.

Some questions like "to what extent are you willing to go to have a family, medically?" and, "will we share our credit reports with each other?" seemed to be pretty straightforward and something one might naturally discuss with their partner over the course of their relationship. There were also other questions I would have never considered such as, "what will we do if we find out our child has severe disabilities?" that seemed very valid. I had never thought to discuss something like that with Mr. Hawk, but I think it would be a great conversation to have.

Finding it thought provoking, I was about to hit the forward button to Mr. H. Then I came to the end of the list. "Should we have an exit strategy for the marriage, and if so, what would it be?" I had a hard time stomaching this one as it seemed so counterintuitive to me. I wouldn't think most people go into something as serious as a marriage with an exit strategy. Is it like the saying, "prepare for the worst and hope for the best?"  Maybe I thought this question was a way of dooming a relationship because I faithfully believe that Mr. H and I will make our marriage work. Is it pessimistic planning for the end or just a dash of harsh realism given current divorce rates? I couldn't decide and am still having a hard time processing it.

What do y'all think? Is an exit strategy something to discuss prior to marriage? What other questions do you think should be discussed before tying the knot?

Lusting After Lighting No More

Remember way back when I oohed and ahhhed over event lighting? (And then pouted when Mr. Hawk put the kabosh on all my hopes and dreams?!) Well Hive, the mister has officially seen the light. ;) (Har, har)

Over the past couple of months, I've stayed pretty silent about my quiet obsession, but I never lost hope. With our date rapidly approaching I knew the decision was a now-or-never one. I set up another appointment with Blue Steel Lighting and made sure Mr. H was going to be able to tag along this time. During the appointment, Mr. Hawk and I viewed a slide show of before and afters along with various color scheme options. Then, like my previous solo appointment, we headed to the mock-up room to see the lights in action.

Seeing the demonstration in person was a game-changer. Plus, I think Mr. H really connected with Rich, our consultant. Rich explained how at first, before working in the business, he had not really understood event lighting. But once the lighting set up was complete, he described how there was no denying the wow-factor and complete transformation of the room.

I think that our venue is gorgeous, but being that it is an event space, the decor is extremely neutral. Here's a refresher photo:

Personal Photo

I can't wait to see it with a warm and welcoming wash of color like this:

Image via Blue Steel Pro Lighting, Photo by Rebecca Keeling Studios

By the end of the appointment Mr. H was already getting into it and thinking about selecting fun colors for the bridal party introductions at the start of the reception. I WIN! I mean, we win! I cannot describe how thrilled I am to be able to work with Blue Steel. I literally skipped out of the appointment. (And got caught. Ooops.)

Was there a time when your FI was a hard sell? What made him/her come around?

'Maids Dress Selections

(I know I have gone on about the trials and tribulations that my 'maids and I went through to get to this point, but I am so happy to report that all of the bridesmaids dresses have been purchased and I have the final dress lineup!

All images from J. Crew; lineup by Miss Hawk's cut and paste skills :)
From left to right: Juliette, Leona, Louisa, Sinclair, Arabelle

I am extremely excited about how the different styles look next to each other and can't wait to see my ladies wear them! I think they selected a great mix!

For anyone else interested in the J. Crew line, I have nothing but good things to say. The dresses are definitely well made and come in a number of different styles. J. Crew even recently released some adorable new silk chiffon styles:

Mirabelle and Macie

Some advice for those interested in saving a few bucks:

1. For those East-coasters, look out for warehouse and sample sales, specifically in Lynchburg, VA, Arden, NC, and NYC. (Often regional sales are also offered in the surrounding areas.) J. Crew Aficionada often posts the details. These sales often last anywhere from a weekend to two weeks.
I can't speak for the other locations, but Lynchburg does have a store attached to the warehouse that is open year-round. If you can't make a large warehouse sale, you can always call them to see if they happen to have any the dresses you are looking for in stock.

2. Check eBay. (OFTEN.) You'll pay more than you would at the warehouse, but definitely less than you would through J. Crew. Setting up an alert is the easiest way I've found to keep up-to-date with the latest listings.

3. Sign up for J. Crew's email coupons. Especially around holidays, J. Crew emails 20% - 30% off coupons usually off online orders of $150 or more.

Anyone else select the J. Crew line? Do y'all have any additional suggestions of ways to find a bargain dress?

Hitting 100 Days

Please excuse me for a moment while I get mushy-gushy...

Dear Mr. Hawk,
Exactly 100 days from today, we will be married. We have been engaged for just shy of a year now, but it almost feels like forever ago that you proposed to me while we vacationed in NYC. Being engaged has been awesome. I've been busily planning under the notion that it was all in preparation for some distant, far away date. Sending out the save the dates was a big "this is getting real" moment, but for some reason seeing that countdown clock hit 100 changed things. It got me excited and giddy because I know it's not some distant date down the road. It's actually approaching. (And rather quickly at that!) We've got most of the major details locked down, but these next couple months will probably be a whirlwind. Most likely I'll get caught up in silly details, and I can almost promise you that at some point you will find me on the floor crying surrounded by ribbons, paper, and/or fabric scraps. Thank you for your patience. I want you to know that while it may seem like I'm focused and caught up in all of the pretty, beautiful details, I am more than anything, first and foremost looking forward to marrying you. (I probably don't say that enough.) I love you. And because I've been on an Avett Brothers kick lately, this is for you. (Just ignore that January bit...)



 "...And in January [100 days] we're getting married..."

Hive, was there a moment that changed things for you?

Target's Bridesmaids Dress Collection

When chatting yesterday with Momma Hawk, she asked if I had received the latest email from Target about the new bridesmaid dress collection. Eerrrr, WHAT?!

Being an aficionado of all things Targ-ay, I was astounded that I had missed the announcement. Of course I immediately clicked away to Target.com to check them out.

Screenshot from Target

 There are currently nine dresses in the line all affordably priced at $69.99. The styles are fairly simple, but definitely cute! Here are some of my favorites:

The One-Shoulder Rosette Chiffon Dress:

Image via Target

The Strapless Twist Front Sweetheart Sateen Dress:

Image via Target

The Ruffle Neck Shantung Dress

Image via Target

The dresses I looked at had positive reviews, and I'm loving that Target is offering a wide range of sizes. Plus each dress is available in six to eight different colors! I would love to see them in person.

What do y'all think about the dresses? Is anyone considering using the Target line in their wedding?

Cupcake Sugar Coma

It's been a while since I've talked cupcakes, but over the weekend, the mister and I headed to our favorite local cupcake shop, Pearl's, to have our tasting. (It's actually quite surprising that there were flavors for us left to try! When one of the owners asked us how we heard about their shop, another lady working said, "oh, they're regulars!" Embarassing? Maybe a little. But I am powerless to resist their cupcakes. I'm not afraid to admit it.)

Since our dinner menu is featuring southern staples, we wanted to keep with the theme and tried blackberry cobbler, peach cobbler, and bourbon pecan. We also sampled the "Wilma Ray," a champagne flavored cupcake.

In the end the bourbon pecan was the clear favorite of those we tasted, and Mr. H decided to chose it as his cupcake flavor. I previously selected the Deep Dish Apple Pie as my cupcake choice. We still have one open spot on the cupcake roster. We were hoping to have three choices in total: "his," "hers," and "something we agree on". Currently the front-runner for our third and final choice is the blackberry cobber, but I think we might have to make a few more weekend trips to Pearl's just to be sure.

How did you pick your dessert? Did you want it to follow a theme or did you just pick something you really love? (Luckily for us, we get both!)

All photos personal

Finding the Words: The Hawk Invites

Since I shared my invitation wording tips, I figured I should also share what Mr. H and I ended up with and how we came to our decision.

Here is the wording in it's entirety (well minus those pesky blanks): 

The honor of your presence is requested as

Lauren M____

daughter of C___ and R___ Mylastname

and

Aaron J____

son of C___ Hislastname and the late R____ Hislastname

are united in Holy Matrimony

on Saturday the ___ of May 

two thousand and twelve

at five o'clock

The Chapel of the Sir Christopher Wren Building

Williamsburg, Virginia

 

Because some of y'all may find it helpful, I will break it down and share how we came up with the different elements.

 

The honor of your presence is requested as (We chose this request line because we are having a religious ceremony in a chapel. [Historically "the honor of your presence" is used to indicate ceremonies in a church.] We wanted to go with traditional wording.)

 

Lauren M____ (Mr. Hawk and I are hosting the wedding and therefor chose to be the ones inviting our guests. Although my parents are making a very generous contribution, Mr. Hawk and I are funding the bulk of the wedding. More importantly than that, I have been living on the opposite coast from my parents for four years now. Although I liked the traditional wording of the bride's parents inviting the guests, it just didn't feel right...)

daughter of C___ and R___ Mylastname (...BUT I felt that my parents still needed to be named on the invite!)

 

and

 

Aaron J____ (Another aspect I'd like to mention is that Mr. H and I did not list our last names on the invitation. I originally had them listed, but I found it entirely too wordy especially since we share the same last names are our parents.)

son of C___ Hislastname and the late R____ Hislastname (I'm not sure if y'all remember but FMIL is officiating the ceremony. She definitely deserved a shout out on the invitation. It was also an awesome way to honor Mr. Hawk's father who passed away several years ago.)

are united in Holy Matrimony (Again we wanted to point to the fact that it is a religious ceremony. "Unite in Holy Matrimony" just spoke to me more than "unite/join together in marriage" and Mr. Hawk agreed.)

 

So tell me, what part of selecting invitation wording did you find most difficult? Was there anyone special that you wanted named on the invitation?

 

Finding the Words: Helpful Resources

Mr. Hawk and I recently went through the arduous task of developing our invitation wording. Although I ordered the design of our invites months ago, I kept putting off sending the finalized wording. When we finally got down to business I think I found out why I was stalling. The process sounded simple enough, but I kept thinking about how our invitation was going to be one of those items that I intend to keep forever and hopefully will display in our home. I wanted it to be perfect. Here are some tips that may help you as you work on your invites. I jumped in head first, and in hindsight I wished I had been more methodical about it.

1. Learn the elements of invitation wording. Although invites aren't always in this exact format or order, I found it helpful to know what I was looking at when reading samples. (This also helped me later to make sure I was hitting all the necessary marks.)

Chart via Basic Invite

2. Before writing anything, read examples and get a sense of what wording or feel you like best. Are your invites traditional or casual? Are you having a religious ceremony? I found the Invitations Consultants to be a great resource for samples. While I was reading examples, I made notes of varying request lines and introductions that I found might best fit our style.

3. Decide who will be named on the invitation. This is a very personal choice and can be a tricky decision. My advice is make sure to involve your families! Even if you're footing the bill for the whole shebang, it's very possible that feelings may be hurt if no mention of your parents' names are made on the invitation.

4. Piece together the elements of the examples you liked best or write something unique. I had a hard time imagining how the different options would sound, so I ended up writing close to ten different options out completely and then eliminating the ones I didn't like.

5. Once you think you have something that you love, have someone else read it. I sent it off to Momma Hawk several times with slight variations. I also had her read it aloud to me. This made a difference and actually helped me adjust the wording to flow more naturally. Another pair of eyes also helps with any missed grammatical errors.

What resources did you find most helpful when developing your invitation wording? Did y'all pain over every word like I did?