[Edited for grammatical errors, considering I wrote this post in the midst of a horrible migraine.]

I’m not into traditional weddings for myself (obviously), but there are two traditional things I love and I’m doing.  One is a plain gold wedding band.  I got my white gold beauty a few days ago, and it’s SO PERFECT.  It sits nicely beside my solitaire.  The other tradition I choose to uphold is “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”  I can’t explain why, but I just like the sentiment.  I’m getting married tomorrow and I only have these four things halfway covered!

Something Old – I have known since I was a little girl that I would wear my grandmother’s pearls on my wedding day.  I wear them all the time as it is, and tomorrow will be no different.  These pearls were worn to my mom’s senior prom and in a cousin’s Junior Miss pageant.

Something New – Obviously, I bought all new clothes for this occasion, so there ya go.

Something Borrowed – ?  I will probably see what I can pull out of my mom’s jewelry box.  If you know my mom, you’re wishing me good luck right now.

Something Blue – ?  This one really has me at a loss!  I would wear blue undies, but I have to wear my control tops under my body-hugging dress. Ha.  I’m sure I can find something blue somewhere.  I just really need to start looking.  I have less than 24 hours.

Anyone have any ideas for me?

I spent the entire afternoon and evening Monday braving torrential, heavy winds, and COLD.  I was on a mission for shoes.  I needed a cardigan too, but the main objective was to find the perfect shoe to match my dress.  I wanted a round or almond toe pump with at least a 3-inch heel, in black patent (to match the patent belt on my dress).  Simple, right?  Not so much.  I went to at least ten stores, including discount department stores such as Marshall’s.  I couldn’t find a single shoe I liked under $50.  I won’t bore you with all the details of how I didn’t eat all day, was cold and wet, so tired that my eyes were sunken, and I had a meltdown in Target.  Short story: I ended up in Target where I found the perfect shoe for $20.  The problem was, there was one in my size…with GUM ALL OVER IT.  Good grief.  I gave up and went home for some sleep.

Today I lowered my expectations from “perfect” to “suitable” and set out in search for shoes.  I made a quick run into Cato where I used to work.  A lot of times, I can find some great treasures in there.  There, sitting in the clearance section for $9.99 was a pair of shoes exactly like what I wanted, except in suede.  They were reasonably comfortably, wonderfully priced, and with the shiny heel to match my patent belt, I was sold!  I haven’t taken a picture of them, but these are close:

source

I am in love with the cardigan I bought.  I found it in Forever 21 and I just know I’ll wear it over and over!

I am so excited to be done shopping for outfits!  I can’t wait to do a lookbook on our outfits, complete with budget breakdown!  Now I just have to get my hair cut (tomorrow!) and do my nails.

I’M GETTING MARRIED FRIDAY!!!!

Last week, we made the decision that after being engaged nearly two years, it’s time to get married.  Good grief, that took long enough!  Early in the week we ordered rings, which will be here in a couple of days.  We then went Friday to Mobile, AL to get our marriage license.

I have to say, I was a little nervous about the fact that we decided to just get married at the courthouse.   I was really worried that the whole process would feel very uneventful and not very special.  However, the lady issuing the licenses was just the sweetest.  She genuinely seemed to be happy for each couple that came to her window and I feel like that general sentiment will be there the day we get married as well.  A week after getting our license, on March 5, we will finally be married!!

Today we took the kids shopping and Nick, our 4-year-old got his first pair of really good sneakers.  He chose a classic gray pair of New Balance 993.  $40 later, he was wearing his new shoes and jumping and running everywhere.  I have never seen a kid so young love a cartoon-free pair of shoes so much.

But back to the best part of our shopping day – we got wedding clothes!!  After a couple hours of help from my stylist, Nick, we found a dress that was perfectly “dancy” (which is how he describes a good dress).  I went to TJMaxx and Ross, trying on lots of colorful (and a few white) Calvin Klein dresses, along with few other brands.  Most of the dresses I tried were in these discount stores for $60.  I was willing to pay that for a wedding dress, but I don’t buy anything I don’t love.  Everything I tried was too long, too poufy, or too tight (or I was too busty and too bulgy).  There was a gorgeous CK linen sheath with a skinny black belt.  However, the little pleats just below the waist were not flattering on my Mama belly.

[I liked how this one fit, but didn't like the shoulder pads(!) and the grandma-like fabric.  Dustin didn't like the ruffly part at the neck.  Nick's verdict: "Too blue."]

When we left Ross, I was walking down to Target and I spotted Dress Barn.  Years ago, I always thought DB was an old-lady store.  The mall in which I worked when I lived in Orlando had a Dress Barn.  I went in on my lunch break one day, and was pleasantly surprised!  They have some super cute stuff.  You just have to look for it!  I found this one style of dress in DB that I could not. live. without.  I just had to choose a color!

This pink was gorgeous and I just loved the fit of this dress.  I definitely was not wearing proper undergarments though.  Gross bulges.  Cute bonus: This weird, useless pocket.

However, this kelly green is my absolute favorite color and I’ve always wanted to get married in it.  You can see on my face how IN LOVE with it I am.  Just one problem:  I. Am. Busty.  And this dress had pleats right where I don’t need them.  Again.

I decided that I could deal with the pink dress, but wanted to check a couple more stores before making the purchase.  The sales associate said she would hold the dress for me and I mentioned that I loved the color of the green dress, but the style of the pink one.  She was almost certain that they had just received the style of the pink dress IN GREEN.  She said it would take awhile to find it, and I assured her I would come back to check.  I went on to Target to help Dustin find his outfit.  He didn’t have a suit and really wanted to wear one.  Well, now he was one.  From Target!  For roughly $130, he got the pants, coat, shoes, and a shirt!

He got a light grey dress shirt and black wingtips (shoes on sale for $9.98!).  We wanted to find a tie to match my dress, so we held off until we knew what color my dress would be.

After Target, we went back to Dress Barn.  I was prepared to buy the pink dress if she wasn’t able to locate it in green.  I didn’t have to settle though, because she found it!  That lady is my hero!  I don’t have a picture of THE DRESS.  It’s just the pink dress, in the color of the green one in this post.  It has a black patent belt.  I am dying to accessorize to pull it all together.  Next up, I hope to find a cute sweater or jacket to go over it and black patent pumps.  I’m undecided about one thing: tights or bare?  Please weigh in!

Dress Barn is having a sale where you buy one dress and get the second for $10 off ($70 for two dresses!).  Since I loved that dress so much, i got it in black with large white polka dots and a coral-colored belt!  That will be my Easter dress!

After an early dinner, we scurried around the mall that was closing soon in search of a tie.  Unfortunately, we could NOT find a kelly green tie!  We bought the closest thing we could find (on sale for $20) and called it a day.  We came home and tried our clothes on together and we are going to look so nice!  It’s a shame we won’t have a photographer!

The rest of our wedding week to-do list:

-Shoes for me

-Jacket or cardigan

-Paint nails black

-Figure out what my “borrowed” and “blue” will be (look for a post about that tomorrow)

-Get haircuts

-Buy a camera (lost mine awhile back and have been meaning to replace it.)

Look for more posts about our upcoming wedding the rest of this week!

I have a love affair for making and eating trifles.  Actually, I think the love affair is with the trifle dish itself.  I love serving pasta salad and 7-layer salad from my trifle.  Naturally, when I saw this print by Anne Harwell (seller Annechovie) on Etsy, I fell in love!  Would love to hang this in my kitchen.

Definitely check out the entire shop, because she has some beautiful things!

Friday night, by best friend Ashley and I had our long-awaited Epic Girls’ Night.  Really, it was most of a day.  In the afternoon, we had lunch at Chili’s, complete with Presidente Margaritas.  We then shopped for hours for new outfits to wear out that night. I’m really annoyed that I didn’t get a picture, but here’s what I was wearing…

Top: maurices

Leggings: Charlotte Russe

Shoes: Charlotte Russe

Eyeshadow: L’Oreal

Necklace: maurices

Clutch (not pictured): Charlotte Russe

After wearing ourselves out with retail therapy, we got dolled up and headed out to the Hard Rock Casino Biloxi.  We didn’t really have a plan in mind, other than to drink our faces off and catch up.  We definitely did both.

Unfortunately, I still have not replaced my lost camera, so only took a couple of shots with my phone’s camera.

My new eyeshadow in action

Our new Charlotte Russe shoes!

The Best Friend

And this is why I wore control top panties.

I am blogging from my HTC Hero! I have my first smartphone and am loving it! Should have gotten one much sooner. We don’t have internet at home yet, so I will make some. Posts here in the meantime. Stay tuned.

We are hitting the road today, moving out of state.  Naturally, I will be offline for a bit.  Could be a week, could be a month.  I will hop online where I can to check email, Facebook, and Twitter though, so those will be the best ways to reach me if you aren’t a close friend with my cell number.  Excited to get settled, begin this new life, and then get right back to blogging!  I’m going to have lots to share, I’m sure!

I know I must!  I even had the foresight to download it now so that I can make this next week when I’m without internet!  Thanks to Creature Comforts for providing fun, free projects!

Download your PDF here.

Last night, I had a gathering of some of my closest Florida friends at one of my favorite places.  Since I worked at a Buffalo Wild Wings years ago, it has held a special place in my heart.  We had a terrible experience there last night, but I still love the company and will eat and drink there forever!

Also holding a special place in my heart are these people who came out to say good-bye to me.  Most of them were my coworkers and I am going to miss them so much!  Each one of them is a really amazing person.

Nick, Ammar, and Me. They were each responsible for keeping the laughter going, in completely different ways!  Special thanks to Ammar for handling my very un-PC teasing like a champ!

My special Luis.  The confidant who was there when I really needed him.

My sweet Vanessa.  This girl made me laugh more than anyone.  I really needed it at times. (Sorry V to put the picture where your eyes are half closed, but I looked extra busty in the other… and well, it’s my blog.)

Sweet Princess Alex of Clearance.  Always good to bounce my feelings and problems off of.  Thanks so much.

Friends from church, Teri and Joe came also and it was fabulous to have them there.  You guys have really meant a lot to me.  I hate that not everyone from work could come, but I love you all endlessly and I will be back!

In just a couple of weeks is that holiday – the one you either love or you hate.  I’m a lover.  I know it’s a highly commercialized, “Hallmark” holiday, but it’s fun!  I’m in love with love and a complete girly-girl, so what’s not to love for me?  This year, Dustin and I have a lot going on in our relationship and otherwise in life.  I’m not sure what our status will be in a couple of weeks, but for now our plans are to have a date night, probably on the 12th or 13th.  We are going to go see the movie Valentine’s Day, which looks like it’s going to be really good!  We’ll also go out to eat, I’m sure.

I probably won’t go all out on the Valentine-y, clothes, but this dress from ModCloth is so freakin’ cute!

I’m more likely to wear a modern heart necklace, like this one from Etsy seller Luluka.  In fact, I’m pretty much in love with it!!

I will admit to being a holiday dresser, though.  I wear pink and/or red on Valentine’s Day, green on St. Patrick’s Day, and of course, red, white, and blue on July 4.  For Thanksgiving and Christmas, I go the more subtle route by merely dressing festively.  Do you dress holiday-appropriate?  How do you feel about Valentine’s Day?