Best Day Ever: Part 1

Best Day Ever

December 31st, 2014

The day we became husband and wife.

Where do I even begin?! Ever since I was a little girl I always wanted to get married. But I never had a specific idea in my head of what I wanted my wedding to look like. I do know that I didn't ever see myself having a huge, over the top wedding. Even though growing up I was the ultimate girly girl and now I enjoy the finer things in life. But that's not how I wanted my wedding to be. I wanted to be surrounded by close family and friends, so Caleb and I decided that we would have a small wedding. We cut our guest list down to strictly family and our closest friends. And I don't regret it at all. I remember every single person who was there. Yes, the day seemed like a blur, but I remember almost every moment of the day. Which I'll say over and over again of just how amazing it was. Everyone who gets married always says their wedding was the best (which they should!) but our wedding was the best and I wouldn't have changed a thing. 

We had an amazing photographer that captured all of the details of the day. People always say they regret not hiring a photographer, and I'm so glad that she was available at the last minute. And captured our day. Check out Lauren Elizabeth Photography, she has some pictures of the wedding up on her site too.  We have so many wedding pictures that I could post them all, but I won't. I'll post a handful (or two!) 

Throughout the whole wedding planning process, I kept most of the details a secret. I didn't want people to know what we had planned, but more importantly I didn't want people coming to our wedding looking for a certain theme. I'm so over "themed" weddings. Which I'll do a whole other post on that topic..so sit tight! 

In the meantime, here's a glimpse into one of the best days of my life...

My handsome husband!

His cufflinks & pocket squares with my wedding band

His wedding band with my bracelet

I loved my dress so much

Caleb and I decided to write our own vows. Best decision ever.

So I got keepsake books to keep them in

Instead of bouquets, my bridesmaids carried lanterns

Some of my girls getting ready

My amazing group of girls, they all have always been there for me and I couldn't have imagined my day without them. 

Our little Hemmi wanted to be a part of the pictures. 

I had to do a first look with my dad. I'm such a daddy's girl and wanted this moment captured. 

The moment he saw me *insert happy tears*

First kiss as HUSBAND and WIFE!!! 

Read Part 2 Here!

My wedding dress: Mori Lee Dress Style 2620, from J&B Bridals
Men's Suits: J&B Bridals

Photograper: Lauren Elizabeth Photography

Wedding Programs: Crafty Pie Press

5 Reasons Why A Smaller Wedding Is A Good Idea(Plus we've reached 2 months!!)

Sooo....we have reached 2 months!!!!

Which means..83 days...11 weeks...

Holy cow...is pretty much what goes through my mind. Time has been flying by for sure. And quite frankly I can't contain just how excited I am. 

Lately we haven't really been doing to much wedding stuff. I know that's all about to change since there's A LOT to do. 

We sent out our invites..okay don't judge me on this but I can't remember the month but I know we should have gotten them all back since our deadline was September 30th...so for those of you who haven't PLEASE let me know...I know who you are anyways and I will be coming after you ;) Seriously though. I will. 

We kept our guest list really small. We decided that we wanted mainly family and close friends. We actually had to cut it down a few times, nothing personal it's just what we wanted. We both have big families and it is important that our family have priority over anyone else, then if we had extra we could add in close friends. I have been told so many times that you'll never regret having a smaller wedding, but some will regret having a big one. So we decided to go small. Here are a few reasons why having a smaller wedding is better: 

1. Since you'll have fewer guest to greet and talk to, you can really spend time with each other and enjoy the day. 

2. More intimate setting, you'll spend your special day with the ones closest to you.

3. Save money, this is a big one. A big way to save money but still be able to have an elegant affair is to cut down your guest list. 

4. You are more likely to remember everyone at your wedding and be able to talk to them. 

5. People are more likely to remember your wedding. If you have a traditional large wedding that has 150+ guests most people aren't going to remember certain details and since it's like most weddings they've been to. It'll be a routine. When you have a smaller wedding, you can focus on more details and make your wedding unique since you don't have to plan for a large amount of people. 

I'm not saying big weddings are bad or even bashing them. I understand that some people just have really big families that requires a big wedding, and that's defiantly okay! If you have always dreamed of a big wedding, then go for it. It's your day and you decide how you want it. But smaller weddings tend to not get as good rep and people think you only go small because you can't afford a big wedding. That's not always the case.  I feel that if you are happy, and you married the love of your life, that's all that matters at the end of the day. 

Cheers! 

Creating Your Wedding Registry

Over the weekend Caleb and I made a plan to finish registering. We did a lot of it online, but some things we had to see in person. While registering, it should be fun and not stressful. Yes, things happen. Like for us for instance one of the places where we decided to register, the customer service wasn't very helpful and most the employees acted like it was their first day working. But we decided to ignore all of that and not let it ruin the experience. 

Picking out the things you want for your new life together is defiantly a bonding experience. You find out each others styles and tastes. If your styles clash, come to an agreement on things. For us, we have similar tastes and we know how we want to decorate because we've talked about it probably over a million times. 

So let's dive right into what are the basics that you need to register for? Registering can get overwhelming because you realize there is SO much stuff. Coming up with a checklist is a way to avoid all the stress. 

First here are some tips before you register.

1. Make it a date. Plan for as much time as you need so you don't feel rushed. 

2. Eat! No one likes to shop hungry. Same goes for when you are creating your registry. 

3. Make a checklist of things you need AND want.

4. Discuss your dreams and ideas for how you want to decorate your home together.

5. Have fun! Don't get stressed. This is one of the fun parts about planning a wedding. 

You can even browse online websites about registries and whatnot. I did that. But I kept looking and started to get overwhelmed because there is so much information out there. Everyone is going to have a say in what to register for and what to not register for. But in the end, it's your life and what someone might not want you might. So go ahead and register for it. 

Seriously, stick with the basics and add a few can't live without items and you'll be set. I've been told, in the end you'll end up with duplicates of items and will have to return them anyways. Plus, most registries give you a discount on items that weren't purchased. 

Here is a basic checklist to follow:

Of course you don't have to register for EVERYTHING you see on this list. It's just a guide. You can create your own list that fits you and your soon to be hubby. Once you do, get to registering!!

Checklist is from weddingchannel.com