Preparing for the PERFECT Honeymoon

So in preparing for our honeymoon, I have been reflecting on possible locations. These are some that would be awesome.

Turks and Caicos

St. John

Aruba

St. Lucia

So I'm sure you're saying... "Ummm honey, you are getting married in 44 days and you don't know where you are going on your honeymoon?"

Well... No, I don't. He does. That's right... it is a SURPRISE for me! I'm super excited to find out where we are going!

I got TAGGED...

I got tagged... so here we go!

THE RULES:

Step 1: respond and rework—answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.

Step 2: tag—eight other un-tagged people .

Make a list of things you can see without getting up: TV, my dog, my cats, the dining room table, an empty Diet Dr. Pepper bottle, my KITHEN AID MIXER I got in yesterday (off my registry)

Favorite football team: College - CLEMSON Pro - Carolina

What are you wearing now? Nothing... just got back from the gym and I stripped LOL

What color is your bedroom? Olive Tanish

What’s the last thing you read/are currently reading? My DJ contract

Do you nap a lot? Unfortunately not. Sleeping till 11 or 12 doesn't allow for that

Who was the last person you hugged? Michael before he left for work

What’s your current obsession/addiction? Ensuring everything is done for the wedding (45 days!)

What was the last thing you said aloud? Hey baby girl! (to Daisy my dog)

What websites do you always visit when you go online? Email, Facebook, and blogs I follow.

What was the last thing you bought? Stuff to make dinner last night

What are you listening to right now? Real Housewives of Orange County

What movie are (or were!) you most excited to show your kids? IDK

If you could have any super power, what would it be? the power to make money APPEAR

What is your favorite weather, and why? Fall with a crisp breeze but the sun is shining ( I'm stealing Jess's answer!)

What time do you usually get up? 11 or 12

What is your most challenging goal right now? Keeping myself sane... losing weight

Say something to the person who tagged you: Thank you for tagging me... gives me something to do LOL

If you could have a house–totally paid for, fully furnished–anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? The Caribbean... any island will do

Favorite vacation spot? I will probably remember what a vacation is on my Honeymoon

What is your favorite children’s book? Green Eggs and Ham (IDK... it was the first thing to pop in my head)

Name one thing you just can’t resist no matter how bad it is for you: CARBS!!!!!

If you could meet anyone famous - dead or alive - who would it be? Elton John... maybe he'll be my Godfather too and I wouldn't have to worry about money (HINT: he has lots of Godkids... and gives them money)

If you could have any job in the world , what would it be? ANY! Being unemployed is not as fun as people think!

I am tagging:

Tripping Down the Aisle
A $10000 Wedding

Think Happy Thoughts

A Tale of Two Brides

All About Fishing with The Dixons

A Bride in the Making

Life of a Savannah Bride

Melissa's Smitten

My Journey to "The Dress"

So sometime last summer, I started my journey to finding the perfect wedding dress. Shop after shop, I found wedding dresses that I loved, but they weren't "perfect."

This was the first dress...

While it is a beautiful dress, and I thought it could be the one... something just kept saying "Keep Looking" so I did.

This was the next one, and it had everything that was missing out of the first dress. I wanted sweetheart and lace up... but after going back and trying it again, it just wasn't "The One"

This one was a high contender... but while I LOVED the front, I felt like the back just didn't match. So I moved on....

And while this one was beautiful too, I just didn't want a dress with pickups. So the search continues...

This was a contender... but I'm not a lace girl so I of course moved on again.

According to my dad, this was "the ONE" but I eventually nixed it, because I was in LOVE with the back but not so much the front.

So I began to get really frustrated and began to wonder if I would ever find one that would make me feel that feeling.

One day me and one of my bridesmaids were bored so we went to look at dress where I live. I didn't expect to find anything at all considering we live in a small town. Well then it happened, I put this dress on and walked out and...

BURST INTO TEARS!!!!!

My bridesmaid felt it too and we called my mom and said you HAVE to come down here.

And here it is...

Hahaha! You really think I would post a picture before the wedding. Negative! My Fiance has a blog too and he's always looking at mine! Only 46 more days and you all can see it :)

May I have this Dance?

So Michael and I have had a slight issue on picking our First Dance song. While we enjoy cheesy love songs like "Me and You" by Kenny Chesney or "You and Me" by Lifehouse and others, they just don't really fit "US" So we started the search through our long list of "our songs" to try and find one that fit us. Of course the list was full of the cheesy, but we came across this that just felt right.

The Song is...

"With Me" by Sum 41

Sure it's a little fast at parts, but we'll maintain the same dance tempo throughout...

What do you think?

Gifts for Us

So Michael and I, being that we are only 47 days out, have been discussing the subject of wedding day gifts. Of course some (ok well most... ok All) of the gifts I have said I wouldn't mind getting are rather expensive. But the thing is... I don't really ask for much in the gift department. And I enjoy good quality items. You pay for what you get is what I believe.

I asked for this for my wedding gift...

but him being the sweet babe he is, I got it for Christmas instead. So that left it open for me to have to figure something else out that he can get me.

So of course, in the meantime he has asked me what else I would want. I have picked out these because honestly there isn't anything else I would want and I don't want him to just get me something to say he got me something. I want it to be something we both want.

These are all Coach bags because of course the Louis I wanted would be WAY too much considering I'm jobless... so we may help stimulate the economy this way LOL

They are in order from least expensive to most and are $298, $378, and $398 respectively.

Of course it is not ALL about me (well at least most of the time LOL) and it seems I am getting out on the cheap end of the deal; which considering he is technically buying his own gift because it is "his" money with me not having a job. All he has asked for was a new watch, and not just any watch a Fossil. So this is what I picked out and he approved to choose from.

So only time will tell if we actually get what we have asked for... what do you think of these? What's your favorite?

Pictures are from Coach and Fossil Websites. To visit please click the links in the post.

So I know I need to Thank...

MS. KATY from Tripping Down the Aisle as well as Ms. Shorro a fellow Weddingbooker for helping me give my blog a face lift.

Katy is so awesome because she actually made the code so that I could have three columns and my information on the sides aren't so crowded! She is also working on me a CUSTOM header! No info on that though because I want it to be a surprise to y'all! I'm so excited about it though! She does an AMAZING job and even has another blog that show cases her AMAZING talent in graphic design! You can see her custom site by clicking here.

Shorro helped me out a lot as well. I know absolutely NOTHING about HTML and such however, apparently she did and she was able to take the code that Katy created for me and my current code and create the code I needed to accomplish what I needed!

Thanks so much girls! I really do appreciate what you both have done for me and I cannot wait to see what you have come up with Katy (no rush though hun! (o:)

Time to Get the Tuxes

So this Wednesday we are going to pick out and rent the tuxes. So this lead me to start looking at what kind of tux my darling and I were picturing. So below are several different styles of tuxes to choose from.

This first one is similar to what my darling will be wearing, but it will be a black tux instead of the brown. The other guys will also be wearing something like this (black instead of brown) however they will have black vests and ties!

For a more casual affair you can do a grey or tan suit

For a more Formal affair, you could also do tails or cutaways

As you can see, there are many different types of tuxes, and these are only a few. You can find more available styles online.

These photos are from http://www.theknot.com/ and feature tuxes from Men's Warehouse.

My MOM - The Wedding Planner

Yes, I know. The first thought upon seeing this... "Seriously her mom is her wedding planner!"

A little back story...

As some of you know, this is not my first wedding to plan. I never made it down the aisle for the first one (THANK GOD). But during the planning phase of the first, my mom started working at an event gallery where we were having our reception and, along with the owner, took a class to become a certified wedding planner at a local college. So she got a lot of useful knowledge from that.

So of course, why would I pay someone to be my wedding planner when I have one for free in my MOM :)

She is of course planning my wedding and has helped out several of my friends. Not only does she have lots of resources that she has developed all on her own but she has the knowledge of course.

While she is still new, she is willing to help you however she can and just because she's a "rookie" doesn't mean she doesn't know what she doing! She is great at her job and really enjoys it. And besides, most of the time you get a two-for-one deal... you get ME too :)

If you would like more information or would like to talk to her about helping with your wedding please send me an email and I'll get you in touch with her!

ANOTHER One Woman Wedding Show

So as all brides know, we always need someone to help bring it all together in the end. Not necessarily a wedding planner, but vendors and a coordinator.

Well, while this woman isn't my wedding planner... she is my decorator/direct/rentals/florist/coordinator. Yes! She does it all!

While she is located in Abbeville, SC (for those of you who know where that is...) she does travel and does do destination weddings!

Here are just a few things that she does!

DIY Invitations along with several invitation books

Unity Candles and Favors and MORE

For more information you can visit her website at:

http://www.praiseunlimitedweddings.com/

I would like to thank the Academy and....

Katy for some awards and a fun tag {thanks, Katy!} So I guess I will start with these awards:

First: Honest Scrap {I'm guessing you don't know how to read it yourself in the image, right? Double emphasis.}

Here are the rules of the award:
1) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design
2) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap." Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon
3) List at least 10 honest things about yourself

So here you go...10 (random) things about Amber:

1) I was an only child for almost 12 years until SURPRISE! I got a brother!

2) I've been engaged 3 times (twice to the same guy, once to Michael) so I guess third times a charm!

3) I have had 3 wedding dresses in my life (2 from the first engagement - still have 1 if you wanna buy it!) so again, I guess third times a charm because I got my DREAM dress

4) Michael and I are exactly 2 years, 11 months, and 19 days apart.

5) Michael and I have decided that all of our children's names will start with either an M or an A and have a middle name from the family.

6) We have a zoo (aka - 4 cats and a dog)

7) I graduated with a degree in Accounting that I have no plan on using.

8) I am 4 inches taller than Michael.

9) I think that competitive cheerleading IS a sport... not just standing on the sidelines yelling "Go Team GO!"

10) I used to want to get out of this town, now I couldn't imagine leaving.

And I am going to tag:
1) Lexi Sapphyre

2) Kimberly Secret Diaries of the Bride to Be

3) Holly Three Galas Designs

4) Sabrina Elegant and Budget Friendly

5) The Atlanta Bride

6) Broke Ass Bride

7) The Pissed off Bride

Book Tag:
1. Grab the nearest book.

2. Open to page 56.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the text of the next 2 to 5 sentences, along with these rules.

5. Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual book. Pick the CLOSEST!

6. Tag five other people to do the same!

"Me, Clare Mann, young, smart, and allegedly free. Ohio was nothing but my dues to pay this winter and the next, my junior and senior college years. Then I would be gone. A little puff of gray on a gray landscape."

Best Friends by Martha Moody

And I am going to tag:
Everyone that hasn't done it yet.

Finding "The Dress"

I honestly think the most exciting part about planning the wedding for any woman has got to be shopping for the dress. But then the question comes up, what kind of dress do you want?



There are many different shapes:

Straight:

Cut closer to the body. Often more revealing than traditional wedding dresses. Usually cut on the bias to allow fabric to flow and flatter the figure.

A-Line Princess:

Think of the shape of an A! The dress is cut closest to the bust and then falls away from the body. It is a “forgiving” wedding dress shape. The dress will avoid clinging to the hips or thighs. As the dress has a certain “swish” to it.

Empire:

An A-line dress, with seams placed under the bust for shaping.

Strapless:

Cut across the bust without straps or neckline coverage. Wedding planners and brides alike have rejoiced at this liberating shape option. A true wedding favor!

Mermaid wedding dress:

Fitted at the waist and flairs from the knee into a fuller circle. Fashion forward for a contemporary wedding Ball Gown:

Fitted bodice and fuller skirt. The quintessential bridal shape.

Pick-up:

Normally an A-Line or Ball Gown skirt with "pick-ups" in the skirt. Meaning the fabric is gathered in spots on the skirt.

The only way to determine what shape will work best for you is to try them all on. Keep an open mind going in, because a dress almost always looks better on than it did on the hanger.


I know all brides go into dress shopping hoping for that "This IS IT" moment, but this may not always happen for everyone. It did for me, but I know others who just knew that it was the dress because it made them feel beautiful. The tears and such are not always going to happen, so don't be disappointed if it doesn't happen!

All pictures are from: www.lightinthebox.com

Blogging Brides... Can you help me?

Being that I am new to the blogging world, I'm not sure how to customize my blog. I'm a little tired of the standard blogger layouts that are offered and looking over my blog, the right side has gotten a little crowded. So what I am asking is, can someone help me out in the whole customizing my page? Advice would be lovely, but I am also willing to shell out some mu la to have someone custom design something awesome for me! Of course, seeing that I am out of work I can't shell out a whole heck of a lot of money, but I will since of course it will help me in the long run :) So if you can help me out please, PlEaSe, pLeAsE, PLEASE contact me!!

Thanks in Advance!

Great Pictures... Great Price

So as y'all know, I am an assistant photographer. So seeing that I am also a blogger, I felt it only appropriate to post about us since I was doing other posts about some of my vendors :)

So who are we? We are Carole White Photography (http://www.carolewhitephotography.com/). My sales pitch to lots of brides... Our prices end where other photographers start!

Our packages range from $1195 to $2995.

While you can find all you need to know on our website, I will outline what our top package includes:

• Unlimited Coverage
• Engagement Session (on location)
• Edited CD with copyright release
• Bridal Session
• Edited CD with copyright release
• 1 - 16x20 OR 2 - 11x14 matted and sprayed print (your choice)
• Wedding
• Edited CD with copyright release
• 2 - Table top albums
• 1 - 10x10 Custom Leather Storybook Album (10 pages)
• 2 photographers

This is NOT the only package that includes 2 photographers... you ALWAYS get two of us! And another thing (because I know that many of my readers are just in South Carolina) WE TRAVEL! That's right! We will travel to you! While there may be a small additional charge for us to travel, depending on location, it is usually not much at all and we always take the opportunity to turn it into a vacation! So just because you are in another state or having a destination wedding doesn't mean you can't have great quality pictures for a great price and stay on budget! I'll post a couple of my engagement pictures (because that's all I have from us; you can see more pictures on the website). So check it out and if you have ANY questions (we will customize too) feel free to contact me!