Friday Letters
September 28, 2012
September 27, 2012
Free is always great right?
I certainly think so!
How about free ad spaces?
Even better?
Well then you've come to the right spot & it' your lucky day!
All small ads spaces are free right now because I love you that much.
Just click under the "contact me" tab up there on top and enter
Autumn
to snag yourself a free small ad space for a month!
See you on my sidebar sweet cheeks!
The Mrs Is In The House
That's right this MRS is back and better than ever!
The past two weeks have been crazy insane!
Talk about days flying! It went waaaaaay to fast!
I'll be back to share the details & tons of photos that the three photographers took {yes, three photographers...we'll talk about how that happened later}
For now I'm going to ease back into this though. I've got a house to clean, luggage to unpack, gifts to open, thank you's to write, bills to pay, a husband to spoil ;) and on top of that yesterday was my first day back at work. Husband {that still sounds totally weird} and I have to work ourselves back into the "normal" world as we where getting FAR to used to the all-inclusive resort life.
To sum it all up, overall?
Amazing
Wonderful
Better than imagined
Time of my life
Beautiful
Best.Day.Ever
I also wanted to thank you all for your kind words and love on our wedding day! You all seriously made our big day just that more wonderful. I'm hoping you've enjoyed the sneak peaks on Instagram {stormyann22} and be prepared for more! Wedding photo dumps galore!
Also, all the thanks in the world to my parents! They worked their tushes off setting up, cleaning up, and making sure our day was everything that we wanted it to be. We couldn't have done it without them! And our wedding party, you guys are the best! I seriously tear up thinking about how great you all where. We felt so surrounded in love and friendship and you guys really rocked our socks. We are so grateful for you all!
With that my friends I'm out for the day. I'll be back tomorrow with
Friday Letters and next weeks we'll start with some recaps :)
Get excited people, get excited!
I {obviously} don't have any professional photos back yet so I'll leave you with a couple that a friend snapped! Stay tuned for more!
With love,
The new Mrs. M
{Aka...wife}
September 26, 2012
Hi there friends! I'm Megan and I blog over at Mackey Madness. First of all, let's all give a big ole congratulations to Stormy on her wedding! Woohoo! Such a fun time.
Today I wanted to share a little about our wedding with y'all. It was one of my favorite days ever and I will always always remember how loved I felt that day. Here's my five favorite things from our wedding day:
5) All the pink - it's no secret that I am a huge lover of pink and having so many pops of pink everywhere really made my wedding day so fun for me. My favorite pink items were definitely my shoes and my cake. They were both absolutely amazing and perfect for our wedding.
picture via Brandon O'Neal Photography
picture via Brandon O'Neal Photography
4) The reception area - our venue was amazing and had the church and the reception hall together. It was so nice that guests could walk over and start eating while we finished up our pictures. The reception hall was absolutely stunning and I loved the way the decorations looked. I cried when I saw it for the first time!
picture via Brandon O'Neal Photography
3) Getting ready with my friends/family at my house - this was such a relaxing and sweet way to start the day. All of my bridesmaids spent the night with me and my mom came over early that morning. We got our hair and makeup done at my house, then took a limo to the church. It was so precious to spend those nervous/excited moments with them before the wedding.
2) My dress - who doesn't love their wedding dress, right?! I don't think that I have ever felt so beautiful in my whole life. There was just something about slipping on that magical dress. I felt like a princess when I looked in the mirror. The fit and sparkles and ruching were just what I wanted.
picture via Brandon O'Neal Photography
picture via Brandon O'Neal Photography
1) The Groom - he was of course the favorite part of my wedding day! We didn't see each other before the wedding and so it was SO SO magical to have those doors open and see him for the first time. As I walked down the aisle, I just remember my heart beating out of my chest and my eyes welling up with tears. I couldn't wait to be his wife!
picture via Brandon O'Neal Photography
picture via Brandon O'Neal Photography
So there y'all have it, a few of my favorite things about our wedding day. Congrats again, Stormy! I can't wait to see some pictures from your big day!! : )
September 25, 2012
So excited to be doing my FIRST ever GUEST POST!
Yes! That is excitement you hear!
Well anyway, I'm Montana and I talk about most anything over at SaraMontana Says...
Well while Stormy is off getting hitched and honeymoonin' it, I thought I would share some of my favorite floral arrangements with y'all! Seems only fitting that flowers be shown, they are such a huge part of a special wedding day.
Hydrangeas have to be my all time favorite!!
And if I ever decide to get married, they will be everywhere!!
I love the soft colors in this bouquet, and the cotton is
perfect for a southern wedding!
Who doesn't LOVE bright colors??
I know lately I just can't seem to get enough.
I am also a HUGE fan of super simple color palettes
and single flower types.
My love of flowers comes directly from my sweet mother, who does floral arranging for friends and family. She has done about 4 weddings so far and is super talented. I have loved helping her out occasionally and I even worked a Valentine's Day for a florist once (talk about craziness).
What's your favorite flower?
Hope you enjoyed seeing some gorgeous blooms today
while Stormy is off to play.
(I'm a poet.)
Come visit me and join me in wishing Stormy and her Hubs
the happiest of a lifetime together!!!
September 24, 2012
September 21, 2012
Hello, Life's A Dance readers! I'm Sarah from A Buckeye in Badgerland and I'm very excited to be filling in for Stormy as she ties the knot. Actually, as I'm writing this, I'm watching Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta on TLC! I love watching wedding shows, including Four Weddings.
If you've never seen it, four ladies attend each others' weddings and rate them in four different categories- dress, venue, food, and overall experience. The winner gets a dream honeymoon! Now, because I'm not there to taste the food, I can't really give a score for that, but I like judging the other aspects from my couch :)
The most common complaints from guests on Four Weddings are...
...not liking the style/material/fit of the dress.
My personal wedding dress style is classic: white and long with a little bit of sparkle and not too boob-a-licious! However, I don't like to be too negative about what a bride chooses to wear because it's her day and if she feels beautiful, that's all that counts. I think almost all styles are nice in moderation. Are feathers your thing? Awesome. Just try not to look like big bird. You like the mermaid fit? Go for it. But make sure it's not so tight around your thighs that you can't walk. Strapless? Be sure it fits like a glove. No spilling out, no falling down, etc. Take into consideration that you'll be reaching to hug people and jumping around on the dance floor.
Perfect amount of lace. {source}
My dress. {source}
...not being able to hear during the ceremony.
Use microphones or speak loudly!
...not having an open bar.
I don't necessarily agree with this one. Maybe you and your new spouse aren't big drinkers. Or maybe you don't have a big budget and would rather spend your money elsewhere. Not a big deal! Guests are there to celebrate your love for each other and shouldn't expect free alcohol. Maybe only provide certain drinks on the house. If they want something else, they can pay for it themselves.
My specialty drinks: The favorites of the bride and groom.
....cold/uncooked food.
There's really not much you can do about this beforehand. You can use a recommended caterer, ask that buffet style food is set out RIGHT before it's time to eat, and request that meat is at least medium well. Other than that, you'll have to trust your vendor to present a satisfactory product.
....not having personal touches.
Guests love to see that your wedding is YOURS. Even if you love tradition, add something special to set your day apart from the other weddings your guests may be attending that year. Put a monogram on something, show a picture slideshow, etc. Be creative!
cake topper {source}
My monogram on the candy table mason jars. {source}
My handmade cake topper. {source}
....having black in your color scheme.
I also don't agree with this one. Black is formal and classy and doesn't have to be reserved for funerals. If you like black, use it!
Black bridesmaids' dress with very cool flowers. {source}
....being too hot, too cold, too rainy, or too windy outside.
If you're having an outdoor wedding, always have a plan B. Weather is unpredictable and in addition to wanting your guests to be comfortable, you want your pictures to turn out well!
....dead time.
This is especially important if you have little kids or people who don't know anyone else.
These 2 groups of people can get bored very easily.
....being too cramped.
If your venue says they can fit 300 people, only plan on seating 250 comfortably.
Places tend to overestimate.
....not having good music.
Since tastes in music can vary greatly, just be sure to have a variety. Play some slow songs for couples, a few oldies for grandma, and some contemporary tunes for your college buddies.
One thing I do think is a must is to pick the edited versions!
I am adding one more to this list:
....not having assigned seating.
I've seen this idea floating around Pinterest:
While the premiss behind this is a good idea, you need to think about a couple of things. Do you have people attending who don't know anyone else? They may feel awkward. (Personal experience talking here!) Do you have many more chairs than guests? It tables are set for 6 and a group of 5 sits there, then a chair is wasted.
There ya have it. And these are only a FEW of the MILLION things to think about when planning a wedding :) Come visit me over at A Buckeye in Badgerland for some more ramblings about life, love, and my attempts at fashion and cooking! Say hi-- I'd love to "meet" you!
Stormy, all the hard wedding work is done so I hope you have a wonderful day. Here's to a lifetime of love and happiness!
~Sarah
September 20, 2012
Hey Life's A Dance readers!
I'm Brittany, stopping by with a fun post for you while Stormy
and her HUSBAND! are off on their honeymoon in Mexico.
I'm Brittany, stopping by with a fun post for you while Stormy
and her HUSBAND! are off on their honeymoon in Mexico.
Let me take a second to introduce myself.
I blog over at This Beautiful Life.
{Click on my cute button to go check it out!}
I'm a proud wife to my Mr., an adoring momma to our Fur
Baby, a cupcake lover, DIY crafter, passionate blogger,
and most importantly, Jesus worshipper.
I blog over at This Beautiful Life.
{Click on my cute button to go check it out!}
I'm a proud wife to my Mr., an adoring momma to our Fur
Baby, a cupcake lover, DIY crafter, passionate blogger,
and most importantly, Jesus worshipper.
That's my blurb.
Since we're celebrating a wedding this week I thought it would be appropriate to stick with the theme. So, I bring you a DIY Wedding Towel Cake Tutorial. Minus the tutorial.
Here is a wedding towel cake I made for a recent bridal shower I attended. Not only did the bride love it. {She referenced it as an absorbent cake. Get it?!} All the guests in attendance went bonkers over it too!
My favorite thing about this gift is that you can turn ordinary bath towels off a bridal registry into a spectacular display that is sure to wow the bride.
Here's what you'll need:
Wedding Towel Cake
Wedding Towel Cake
2 large bath towels {for the base}
2 hand towels {for the middle}
2 washcloths {for the top}
a dowel to run through the middle of the cake
pins, lots and lots of pins to hold the towels together
ribbon + flowers to decorate the cake {I chose colors from the wedding invitation}
Then you need to go to YouTube and watch a video on how to make it! I wish I would have taken pictures while I made it, but I didn't. Watching a video would be much easier anyway. So I actually did you a favor.
Then, if you're feeling extra crafty, make a homemade card for the bride and use some leftover flowers from the cake to tie it all together!
If you're looking for another wedding gift idea check out my
DIY Wedding Invitation Ornament!
DIY Wedding Invitation Ornament!
Happy Honeymooning Stormy!
September 19, 2012
Hello again! This is my 2nd guest post for Stormy while she is off becoming a Mrs.!
I'm Syndal, and I blog over at Synfully Delicious.
I'm Syndal, and I blog over at Synfully Delicious.
I am a recent newlywed myself- My hubster & I got married on August 4 of this year!
Having been through the process of planning a wedding for over a year and then looking back on the last several weeks of marital bliss, I thought I could share a few tips for some of you other brides or brides-to-be out there getting ready for the most amazing day of your life!
{enjoy your engagement}
I loved that we were engaged for 15 months, and I honestly could have gone much longer. I loved being able to anticipate the wedding and plan for the future. It was such a fun, and exciting time. Don't let the stress of it take over and don't forget what it's really about.
{pick your bridal party carefully}
Don't let anybody pressure you in to making so-and-so a bridesmaid or groomsmen. Pick people that you can rely on to keep you sane during a stressful period, because planning a wedding can be incredibly stressful! Also, be sure to pick people you know are going to be genuinely happy for you. There's nothing worse than having a frenemy always bringing you down.
{don't forget why you got engaged in the first place}
Pete & I fought so, so, so much during our engagement, especially when it came to talking about our budget together (surprise, surprise). Be sure to take time together to do things that are NOT wedding related. Our photographer gave us a gift card to a coffee shop the week of our wedding to do just that and it was wonderful.
{be overly organized, but not OCD}
You need to prepare for as much as you can, but at the same time learn to relinquish control. I had an incredibly hard time with that. But remember, there's only so much you can do and at the end of the day, you're still getting to be the Bride marrying the guy of your dreams.
{remember that life goes on}
Guess what Brides? Life continues after the wedding. Don't forget to prepare for your marriage, and not just the wedding.
{take a honeymoon, or a mini moon}
Pete & I could not afford an expensive honeymoon after paying for so much of our wedding. But we did take a small, mini trip just the two of us right after the wedding and it was the most blissful week of nothingness. Even if you're just thinking of taking a small road trip right after the wedding-DO IT.
{allow the excitement to wear off}
After the wedding is over and seeing the first few professional photos, when the gifts and cards stop coming the mail, when people stop asking you if you're excited or nervous, try not to let it be a buzz kill. I realized it was sort of fun to have so much love and attention for a few months, but when it's over, allow it to settle in to being the best memories of your life.
{prepare your response to the next question everybody will ask you}
Everybody wants to know when you'll be conceiving your first child, so be sure to have an easy answer to spit out and a way to change the conversation.
And Congratulations to Stormy-enjoy your gorgeous wedding day and your life full of love! I can't wait to see pictures!
September 18, 2012
Hey there kids.
My name is Erin and I blog over at Living In Yellow.
A blog that really has no point…which is why I am still trying to figure out what entices people to come back on a daily basis. On the bright side, having a blog called "Living In Yellow" totally makes me feel entitled to wear yellow pants. And that my friends is why I started blogging....
While Stormy (hello cool name) is off getting married and participating in all sorts of married activities, I decided to take over her blog for the day.
I know I know—guest posts suck.
But today, I am going to try my hardest to slash that whole “ewwww another guest post..catch ya later” mentality in the throat.
And what better way to do that than with humor?
Now I don’t know about you, but I love myself a good dose of humor.
My life motto is if I can laugh enough, I don’t have to actually do any physical exercise.
Wanna burn off the three donuts you just ate for breakfast? Watch The Ellen Show.
Way more beneficial than stepping foot into a gym.
So some of you may be thinking “well crap. I am not very funny…Nor do I know how to be funny on my blog.” To which I would reply “Sucks to be you”. Just kidding. Kind of.
In an effort to put those thoughts to rest though, I thought I would share a couple of ways on
“How to be a funny blogger”
Let’s begin shall we?
1. Make fun of yourself. Pretty regularly. Let’s face it—we all have flaws {unless you are Luke Bryan, Channing Tatum, and Jennifer Aniston} and there is no reason we need to hide those suckers. I look at it this way—if I don’t make fun of them, somebody else probably will. Call yourself out on the fact that you wear socks with holes, that you pee your pants in the grocery store, or that you fall down stairs when wearing heels. Moral of the story: save yourself having to punch somebody in the face for making fun of you by making fun of yourself first. Your knuckles will thank you.
2. Write as if you are speaking face to face with somebody. My favorite blogs are the ones where I feel like I am actually conversing with them. The blogs that use slang and aren’t afraid to type like they talk. Now I don’t know about you, but I am not one to sit and have a conversation that goes a little somethin’ like “Last evening my adorable husband and I sat outside and watched in awe as the fireflies lit up the sky”. No. I would never say that. However, I would say “so the other night my husband and I watched fireflies light up the sky like a mother and it was pretty darn amazeballs”
Yup. Much more my speed.
3. Say what is on your mind at all times. So what if you are writing a post about how much you love your cat and smack dab in the middle of writing you get a craving for mac & cheese with hot sauce on top? Throw that in there. People want to know that you aren’t only obsessed with your cat but that also love mac and cheese {like any normal human being should}. Random is good people. Remember that.
4. Refer to items as things with feelings. This is just something I’ve always done (then again I am not the most “normal” you may say..). Let’s use your blog as an example. See how boring it was just referring to your blog as “a blog”. I like to think of mine as a girl (because she is cute. Obviously if something is cute it’s a girl). And I believe my blog likes to indulge in a drink every now and again. Let’s compare the two sentences and see which is more enjoyable to read “I am going out tonight to celebrate that my blog just turned a year old” or “My cute little blog requested that I take her out for a celebratory drink tonight for her first birthday. She may be young but she sure knows how to throw down every now and again…” You tell me which was more enjoyable.
5. Don’t be afraid to show sarcasm. It’s the best thing since Michael Jordan left his wife for me.
6. Use some “shock and awe” in your titles and/or posts. I don’t like boring blog titles and I don’t think blog readers do either. Instead of titling a post “We Built A Firepit” why not call it “Getting Dirty with My Husband”. Take a guess at which one will bring you more page views. Lesson to be learned: People are perverts. Use it to your advantage.
….and there you have it kitten britches {lesson number 7—refer to your readers as kitten britches}, six seven simple things to remember to make your blog posts hill rat hilarious.
Now do me a favor and stop by over here would ya?
I’d love to see your smiling faces. Or at least hear from your funny fingers.
Whatevs.
Peace out.
