The One Woman Wedding Show

New Blog Announcement

2011-05-25T11:07:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! I know that some of you have followed my personal page and if so you will notice a change :o)

For personal reasons, I am no longer going to provide a link to it from this blog, but if you would like to join my husband and I on our journey to organization and financial freedom then send me an email and I will send you the link. You can email me by clicking the "Email Me" link on the left or at ambertdixon@yahoo.com!

Hope to see you all around!

PS: Yes I will still be posting here! We had to take a break from planning the vow renewal to get our close family friend married! My mom was the wedding planner and did a FABULOUS job!!

Linens and Sashes

2011-04-10T19:36:00.000-04:00

So we have been looking around at linens. Originally we had thought about doing white or black solid linens. Then we thought of white linens with a black runner in the center or black linens with a white runner. We will most likely be using 6ft long tables, so I just felt that a runner was very pretty to help decorate such a long space.

While looking at a vendor's website, I found these patterned linens that we really liked! As you may recall in this post, I posted a picture of a tablescape that included a linen I said we were considering... well here are the patterned linens we are looking at and would love comments on your favorites!

We were thinking of doing one of these with a runner, most likely yellow. Here are some of the sash options I've found that I liked.

These would be if we choose a patterned linen...

These would be for if we did the solid linen...

Remember, this is a very simple occasion, but we still wanted it to have the event feel. So, if you think that something may be to casual, then good! That's the look we are going for.

I know I said in this post a little about the flowers and such, but I'll be focusing more on the centerpieces and ideas next post. So stay tuned!

Finding some inspiration...

2011-04-07T21:18:00.000-04:00

So my mom has picked yellow and black for her colors. I knew this was going to be the case as her favorite color is yellow!

Well I immediately googled "black and yellow weddings" and loads of options came up! Thankfully lots of other people liked this color combo as well! And while my first thought was bumblebee, When you do it right, it's so NOT!

So here are some of the inspirations I have found...

I LOVE the cake and we will most likely go with something similar from Publix since we are trying to keep the budget down but the food still awesome! And the flowers in the center with the milk vases are what we will be going for too. I found an awesome blog that gives you step-by-step to DIY your very own! You can check it out by going here. I'm kinda feeling the invitations too, so I'm going to shop around for those and may possibly try to put my creative skills to use and DIY those too! Hey, if you're following my personal blog, then you know we are strapped on money, and with this being a renewal and mom wanting to keep it "simple" it just doesn't make sense to spend a bunch of money!

Here are some more pictures I've found...

More milk vases with the yellow flowers. Not sure what flowers we are going to do yet so, again, recommendations are welcome! Only criteria is they have to be cheap and easy to work with! We are thinking about buying them in bulk and doing them ourselves to save money!

I liked this one with the black vases too! We are debating on the white or black vases, but I think that will depend on the table clothes we pick. Look for that post tomorrow and help us choose the best combo!

These are two tables that I've found that I like! I know the color schemes aren't right, but it gives you a general idea and of course colors can easily be changed to match ours! To give you a hint about clothes, the second picture contains a linen we are considering.

So do you have any ideas or pictures that have inspired you and your ideas for your wedding? Please do share with me and your fellow readers so we can find awesome ideas too!

Miss Me? Miss Me? Well come on and KISS ME, because...

2011-04-06T10:40:00.000-04:00

I'M BACK!!!

Man oh man I've missed blogging! It is so good to be able to just type it out!

If you haven't checked it out, please go and check out me and the hubs personal blog and catch up on us! You can click here and go read it up! I will be updating it as well as starting a little work on here.

In a little over one year, my wonderful parents will celebrate 30 years of marriage! This is them on their wedding day :o) May 22, 1982

Well with this wonderful time coming up, my sister from another mister and I will be planning their 30th Anniversary/Vow Renewal Extravaganza!

So with that, I am getting excited, because this is as close to planning another wedding as I'll get for a while! It will be a simple affair, but we are going to make it one to remember... and all on a very limited budget! They never got a true honeymoon, so she is concentrating on that!

The colors will be black and yellow (go ahead and sing it, "Black and Yellow, Black and Yellow..." LOL); we are looking at possibly doing bar-b-que, however, we also know someone who does both butts and shrimp and grits! So we may be able to give people some great southern options, but still stay on budget!

I will be posting more as we go and getting opinions on what y'all think! Advise is appreciated as we attempt to throw this whole thing together for $1500, but preferably less!

Keep a look out for more!!

Hey Everyone!

2009-12-03T04:39:00.000-05:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything, we have been extremely busy!

I am beginning the process of planning a wedding for a dear friend of mine so I may be posting some to let y'all know how it's going!

But for now, I think I'm going to be posting more on the personal blog. There is a link on the left side of the page or you can just click here.

You can follow us and keep up with our day to day life. I've been slack, but we've lots of stuff coming up with the holidays and some home projects so it should be entertaining :)

Happy Blogging!

How to pick a Color...

2009-08-11T16:15:00.000-04:00

With so many colors out there, it is any wonder that one would have a difficult time picking just a few to showcase at their wedding or event.

Many ask, "How to I know what colors to pick?" Well the answer is rather simple... Pick what appeals to you.

You can pick your favorite colors or you can pick seasonal colors. For example, for Fall you could go with golds, oranges, reds, and browns; Winter go with silvers, icy blues, whites and ivory; Spring you could go with pastel colors of pinks, blues, yellows, and greens; and Summer you could go with rich vibrant colors like lime greens, hot pinks, and more.

Again it's all about your taste. What makes you feel good!

Update on my Cousin

2009-08-10T01:37:00.000-04:00

She is awake and alert. Dr. said if she continues to improve they could get her up today. Though part of her heart is "dead", with proper care, she will be able to live a normal life.

Thank you all for your prayers and keep them coming! We still have a long road ahead!

Need Prayers

2009-08-08T19:54:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! I know it's been a while and I hate that it's about this, but I wanted to write really quick and ask you all to say a prayer for my family.

I have a cousin who is in the hospital who has suffered from 3 mini heart attacks this week along with a massive heart attack during surgery to place stints in on I believe Wednesday. She has had a total of 12-15 stints placed and none are holding.

After the massive attack they placed her on a ventilator and I did get an update today that she has come off of it, however they are keeping a close eye on her. At the time, the doctors were telling us to pray for hours, not days, hours. We are beginning to be a little more hopeful now that they have fully pulled her off, but she is not out of the woods yet.

So if you would, please say a prayer for her. Her name is Barbara Whitmire Humphries. She is 48 years old and way to young to be going through something of this magnitude.

If you would also pray for my aunt, her name is Joyce. We lost my other cousin, her only son, in November and this is her only daughter. Please pray for peace and strength for her, because this is something that no mother should have to go through. Please say prayers for the family as well. This is a difficult time and pray for peace and understanding because we all know that God has a bigger plan than all of us.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

A Quick Update

2009-07-30T12:00:00.000-04:00

I know I keep telling y'all, but I am still alive and really itching to blog. I have honestly missed it something terrible.

We are slowly getting moved into the new house and out of the old place. My dear hubby had to have knee surgery on the 23rd so we are having to work around that. He is doing fine (in fact we have his post-op today) and they (thankfully) only had to remove a bunch of scar tissue so it wasn't anything too serious. But he has to rest A LOT because it hurts him and is still pretty swollen, so it is a slow process because we are having to also work around the schedules of the people that are being so gracious to help us.

I cannot honestly believe that we have been married 4 1/2 months! It feels like it was just yesterday! But we are enjoying every minute and I guess the old saying is true... "Time flies when you're having fun!"

But between working, moving, and taking care of my hubby I haven't really had time for much else. I promise that I have lots of ideas swirling around in my head that I will be coming back with.

So please stay faithful to me... I promise I'll be back soon!

I'm still Alive

2009-06-29T23:58:00.000-04:00

Hello all! So SORRY I have been MIA lately. Since getting married things have been a whirl-wind!

I started my new job and am so far loving it. It does stink being part time, but in this economy, I am just thankful to have a job. That and it is a door to a great work place.

We are also in the process of buying a house, so working and getting things ready for that have been keeping me seriously busy.

I am hoping to start hardcore planning my friends wedding here soon, however, it won't be as soon as we thought it would be. She just found out she's 5 weeks pregnant, but that ends up working out because we now have more time to plan! Hopefully once we get in the house, things will calm down and I will be able to get back on here. I miss you ladies and I hope the feeling is mutual!

Back soon!!!!

So I'm at it again...

2009-05-06T18:52:00.000-04:00

Two great friends of the hubby and I have decided to get married! So they have asked me to help them plan the whole event!! Something that I enjoyed doing on for myself I now get to enjoy it all over again without it being the stress of my own!

So since they are doing a destination wedding, I am organizing the ceremony through a destination planner! As when the day gets here I can't be the MOH AND the director LOL! So Pensacola here we come!

The date is November 7, 2009, but I'm not getting off that easily.

They are also having a HUGE (350-400 person) reception on November 21st! So I have to plan and organize that whole thing... from food and decor to music and drinks!

We are still organizing preliminary details, but seeing as we have a little over 6 months we have lots to get done! So be watching for posts on the planning process :o)

Resume plumper here we go!!

YAY!!! FINALLY!!!

2009-04-29T17:57:00.000-04:00

I GOT A JOB!!!!!!!!

SO I'm extremely excited!! This is going to be a great opportunity!

I will be working at a local hospital as a Patient Access Specialist admitting and releasing patients. It's part time (24-48 hours) and swing shifts (I work whatever shift (1st-3rd) and whatever days I'm scheduled) but even at the least amount of hours I could get I'll still be making more than what I'm getting through unemployment!!

Besides, this hospital is known for being AWESOME to their employees. Hiring from within for better positions (which is the reason positions like the one I got are open and not the better ones LOL) and there is no minimum time you have to hold a position before you can apply for another one or be snatched up by a different department. That's right snatched! Someone from another department could see me and say "You'd be so much better in my department" and poof... I'm GONE to their department! So this is going to be an awesome opportunity at a great place!

I don't have a start date yet, but I have my physical and an HR meeting to set up all my information next week so I'll hopefully find that out then!

So please continue to pray for me as I embark on this new job!!

8 Things...

2009-04-23T21:04:00.000-04:00

So, I borrowed this from Katy. Check out her blog if you haven't yet. :o)

8 Things I Am looking Forward to:

1. Having kids (in about 3-4 years)
2. Buying a house
3. Getting a job that I enjoy
4. Getting a new car

5. Starting my photography business
6. Buying a professional camera
7. Celebrating one year of marriage on March 14
8. Being debt free (excluding the house and car)

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Went and looked at houses with the hubby
2. Watched TV
3. Researched cameras
4. Drove home
5. Had a Slimfast
6. Ate cereal for dinner
7. Played with Daisy
8. Watched The Duel

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

1. Pay off my student loans... tomorrow
2. Get a good paying job... tomorrow (BTW interview tomorrow at 10am EST PRAY!!!!!!)
3. Take better care of myself
4. Experiment more in the kitchen
5. Volunteer more.
6. Get married again (to the same man :o) It was FUN)
7. Get back in shape and eat healthier

8. Find the house of our dreams and actually be able to afford it

8 Shows I Watch:

1. Making the Band
2. The Hills
3. The Duel: Real World/Road Rules Challenge
4. Gossip Girl
5. 90210
6. One Tree Hill
7. Platinum Weddings

I now tag anyone that wants to play!

Professional Pictures

2009-04-17T01:06:00.000-04:00

So I'm going to try this... let me know if it doesn't work. I have albums up of our professional pictures on Facebook, so I'm going to post the links. We'll see... if not I'll figure something out LOL

These are all I have right now. We realized that we were missing some pictures and come to find out she forgot to burn the last CD LOL so I am getting that on Saturday!

We also realized shortly after getting back from the honeymoon that we never got any pictures of Michael and I alone at the wedding. That's right! NONE! It was hectic and there were so many people talking that I really can't blame any one person, so our only option to fix it is to have a photo shoot! So we are saving up some money now to re-rent a tux for Michael and then we will pick a day to get all prettied up again and go shoot pictures!

Please enjoy! And if you have Facebook feel free to add me... just let me know who you are :o)

We finally...

2009-04-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

Have our Internet back! YAY!! They came out today and ran a new line until we can get the tree removed from the box.

So for those of you who don't live in the South East... Friday, April 10, 2009, will be a day many will remember.

It first struck my husband and I when we got word that a tornado had ripped through his former town Murfreesboro, TN. We have now learned, I believe, that it was an EF3 tornado. Thankfully no one we know was injured and most that we know only received minor damage. They were all very fortunate, and we are so glad that they are OK. However, there were many people who's house was completely lost. Please keep these people in your prayers.

Well as the day wore on, the storms got closer to us. Around 8:15, they started issuing Tornado Warnings for a down about an hour away. Me being the weather nut I am, I was glued to the radar not only on TV but online too! As I watched the weather, I finger tracked the storms and we were in the path to be hit directly by the cell with the known tornadoes. So I put all the cats up and prepared to go into shelter. The tornado warnings got closer and around 8:45 one was put into affect for my town. I had barely punched in the number on the TV to turn the weather channel on in the living room that the hail started and my husband texted me to get to shelter (he was working). Daisy and I got into the bathroom. About a minute later, it went dark, the power went out. Within 30 seconds or less, I heard the wind picking up and then it got louder. It lasted about a minute and then it was over. But that was the most terrifying minute of my life!

I called my parents shortly after (they live in a town an hour away that was not affected) and had them check the radar before I even came out. Talked to my husband and he was OK; let him know we were OK, but I didn't know about the house. Thank GOD our house was fine. No damage! Other people in our neighborhood weren't so lucky... Thankfully though, no one was hurt!

The town seems to be fine; a little rattled, but everyone is picking up. It was confirmed that 2 EF1 tornadoes touched down in our town, one being in my neighborhood. We are just thankful that no one was hurt.

So here are a few pictures from the damage in our neighborhood.

This is the end unit next to us... a tree fell into their living room 3 feet from where they were laying in the floor.

This is the unit across the street from us. It was the worst residential damage in the town.

This was shortly after it happened.

The inside of his house... the ceiling was in the floor. He was so lucky he was not home!

The side again

The downed trees in our backyard. We are the center unit (not pictured) to the right.

Everything is A-OK

2009-04-14T21:28:00.001-04:00

Hey y'all!

This is Katy. Amber asked me to let y'all know that she is currently without internet right now, which is why she hasn't blogged or commented. There was a tornado in the area this past Friday and it is still affecting her internet.

They are ok and their house didn't get hit, but pray they get internet soon because I miss her. :-)

The Honeymooners

2009-03-28T15:21:00.001-04:00

So yes as I said in a previous post, we went to Jamaica for our honeymoon! It was all a surprise! We stayed at the Sandals Grande Ocho Rios. We had a blast! The only recommendation I will offer is that if you want a lot of beach scout out other resorts, because they didn't have much beach to choose from. But the beach they had was AWESOME and the food... well words cannot express how great the food was! We didn't do any tours, but heard they were great! So here are a few pictures from our trip and if you would like to see more, just find me on Facebook and I'll add you!

Some houses in Jamaica

On the bus going to the resort

My handsome husband

FEET!

Michael and Amber :o)

What we lived on! Strawberry daiquiris with rum floaters

Our rings :o)

Doing our nightly thing of sitting on the dock drinking waiting to go eat

Before going to dinner

Me and my handsome husband at the pool

Drunk Jenga. Never played?? It's a MUST!

The view from the restaurant we were eating breakfast at

Yummmmmm... BREAKFAST!

My beautiful set with the beautiful scenery

One of our views

Don't you always have to have a few of these??

Love the kisses :o)

My handsome husband

At Margaritaville at the airport in Montego Bay

The view from our plane as we left Jamaica :o(

After Party... well somewhat

2009-03-24T21:18:00.000-04:00

So after the reception we headed back to our hotel and hung out with some of the people who were staying over. It was a LONG night! Here are a few of the pictures I got while there.

Me and Alicia, one of my bridesmaids who stayed in town

Me and Zack, Michael's best friend and Best Man

The Murfreesboro Crowd

Michael and I with the flower girls

My *BEAUTIFUL* set! He picked this out!!

TIME TO PARTY!!!

2009-03-24T20:19:00.001-04:00

My sexy husband... may I introduce Mr. Michael Dixon :o)

Kisses from my hubby

Mr. and Mrs. Dixon

One of our 3 beautiful centerpieces

Being introduced at the reception

Enjoying our first dance as Mr. and Mrs.

I will always be Daddy's Little Girl

Cutting the Cake

Yes we were nice to each other

"You can let go now daddy" sad and sappy...

To "My Girl" and shagging like always :o)

Throwing the bouquet

Going in for garter number 2

Having a little fun ;)

Michael and the flower girls (They're twins)

On the Limo ride to the hotel... Pinky the Pig

Our Duck

Ceremony Time

2009-03-24T19:55:00.001-04:00

The boys (my brother on the left and the brother-in-law on the right) lighting candles

Michael walking his mom down

My parents

Our Ring Bearer (and YES he is carrying a fishing pole with the rings on them! Michael is an avid fisherman so we came up with a creative way to do it!)

Our lovely flower girls

Daddy walking me down

Here I come (deep breathing and concentrating on Michael's eyes was the only thing that kept me calm)

Our kiss... there was more but the only picture I have LOL

Our mock leave with bubbles

In the limo ready to go

Getting Ready

2009-03-24T19:01:00.001-04:00

Our alter decor

Our musicians practicing

My dress waiting to be put on

Mom buttoning up the bra

All ready for the dress

Yeah, she just had to go and make me cry

My other MOH and my mom

All the girls

My best friends and Matron of Honors

All the girls in the church

Yeah, that's how we roll

The fam

My mom and dad

Michael and his family

Putting on the garters... Thanks to Katy for my "POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS" garter! (Michael is a police officer)

Three Generations... All married in this church!

Rehearsal and Dinner

2009-03-24T18:41:00.000-04:00

Practicing walking down

Listening to speeches

Two of my Bridesmaids

My Matron's giving their toast

During the toasts... ready to get married tomorrow!

Get ready... there's gonna be a lot

2009-03-24T17:11:00.000-04:00

of posts that is :) I have lots of pictures to post, but I'm going to do seperate posts so you know what's what. None of these are professional except for the bridal portraits. The others were taken with either friends or my *NEW* digital camera that Michael got me as my wedding present! LOVE it!

But I'll start with the bridal portraits...

Remember this post? My Journey to the Dress

Well, now that I'm Mrs. Dixon I can finally post pictures of my dress... so I'll keep y'all in suspense no longer...

A Brief Recap of Our Wedding

2009-03-23T22:38:00.000-04:00

WARNING: There is some foul language so read with caution :o)

So we are all married now :o)

Everything went great! The day basically went off without a hitch, and even the weather was ok. They called for horrible down pours ALL day... but it only sprinkled once or twice and held off until Sunday morning! We were so excited that it was able to do that.

The only problem I was aware of (during the day...) was that the b*tch of a lady at our reception venue didn't tell the bartender that it was a $500 limit beer and wine ONLY! He thought it was open bar... so by the time we got there (about 45 min to an hour after guests did) the tab was already over to $300!!!! We stopped it and ended up with a total of about $788. So my parents covered it graciously and the lady is still being a b*tch about it and not refunding us even though she and I as well as my mom and her had several conversations referring to ONLY beer and wine. But what do you do other than tell people she's a b*tch right?

Other than that, things went wonderful. And even though I'm a little irritated over those, I'm not letting it get to me because... I'M MARRIED TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!!!!

And for those of you wondering... I will keep you in suspense no longer on that surprise honeymoon.

It was.......

Sandals Grande Ocho Rios in Ocho Rios, Jamaica!!! We had a blast, but I will say if you want lots of beach, don't go there. We were slightly disappointed in the amount of beach and the "upgrade" room that we got. We were only disappointed because his parents were very gracious in gifting us our honeymoon, and they had told Michael what to expect in the room and when we got there, it wasn't what we were told to expect, so we upset for them because we knew that what they had "upgraded" us to would have never been what his parents would have booked. But we had a great time non-the-less, we just know not to go back to that Sandals when we go back to Jamaica.

While we got to the airport around 3pmish on Sunday afternoon... our luggage made it to the resort at midnight on Monday night. Yeah so Delta really sucked that weekend. Not to mention, Atlanta airport was delaying arrivals but didn't delay departures, so we missed our 10am flight to Montego Bay but got put on stand by for the 11:30am flight and got seats... but as I said, yeah our luggage didn't. But we were honeymooners so who really needs clothes right? hahaha

I will try to post some pictures very soon!

OMG!!!!!!!!!

2009-03-06T11:08:00.000-05:00

So my countdown is at....

8 DAYS

Just thought I would share my excitement!!

Everything is done, just tying up the loose ends (programs and welcome brochures) and I believe we are done! I just can't believe it's next weekend! So excited!!!! I will post pictures as soon as we get back as well as reveal the surprise honeymoon :)

Here... Read This!

2009-03-06T11:05:00.000-05:00

So I figured I would share our reading for the ceremony since the only one on here that will probably hear it is my BBFF (Blogger Best Friend Forever) Miss Katy... so here it is :)

When I'm with you,
eternity is a step away,
my love continues to grow,
with each passing day.

This treasure of love,
I cherish within my soul,
how much I love you...
you'll never really know.

You bring a joy to my heart,
I've never felt before,
with each touch of your hand,
I love you more and more.

Whenever we say goodbye,
whenever we part,
know I hold you dearly,
deep inside my heart.

So these seven words,
I pray you hold true,
"Always and Forever,
I Will Love You."

- Chris Engle -

The 5 Love Languages

2009-03-01T22:18:00.000-05:00

I took the quiz and these are my results... pretty darn accurate.

The Five Love Languages

My primary love language is probably
Quality Time
with a secondary love language being
Physical Touch.

Complete set of results

Quality Time:		9
Physical Touch:		8
Words of Affirmation:		8
Receiving Gifts:		3
Acts of Service:		2

Information

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others.

Take the quiz

Finally getting excited...

2009-02-18T15:20:00.000-05:00

Wow... So SORRY ladies (and gents). I cannot believe I've been so MIA! This whole temp job thing is wearing me down. Not to mention I have 3 1/2 weeks... YES!! 3 1/2 WEEKS!! AHH!

Well at the beginning of this month, I payed a visit to my "people" at H&R Block to file my taxes.

As you all know, I am unemployed at the time (just working a temp job) and wasn't sure where I was going to get the money I had committed to pay for the wedding. Well IRS to the RESCUE! Not only did I get a bunch of credits I didn't know about, but I got back way more than I thought I was going to...

And last Friday, I got a nice deposit in my account... so happy me is now excited because I don't have to worry about where the money I had committed to pay out is coming from :)

YAY!!

Dancing Machine

2009-02-08T13:31:00.000-05:00

So if you live in upstate South Carolina and have been out in downtown Greenville I am sure you have had the pleasure of seeing this man in person. I know I have and it is quite entertaining! Here is a video of him at a local bar in Greenville!

You can also check out his website at : http://www.tonythedancemachine.com/default.aspx

Clearing up the Honeymoon

2009-02-08T12:54:00.000-05:00

So I think I was a little confusing in my Honeymoon post...

Our Honeymoon has been planned and is paid for (his parents are gifting it to us). The think is that I don't know where we are going. It is a surprise and I will find out when we get to the airport.

These are the things I've been told:

To get a passport.

To pack for warm weather.

SO now I only have 34 days and I get to find out where we are going on our wonderful all inclusive honeymoon!

Ok so I'll take a moment...

2009-02-08T12:29:00.000-05:00

to Update you ladies on what's been going on in the last week.

Man I honestly don't think I have had a moment to breathe until today!

It all started Monday, I've been working through a staffing agency that is helping me to try and find a job. I got a phone call from them saying that a company I had interviewed with for a different temp job wanted me to come for a different position. So I started Tuesday. It was only supposed to last 2-3 days however it's looking like it's going to be another 2-3 weeks or more... which is good and bad. Good because we needed the money and I making $10 an hour so that $400 before taxes a week while my unemployment was only paying me $174 before taxes a week. Bad because, ummm like y'all didn't know... I only have 5 WEEKS and so much going on!

Tuesday I had to work and then we went to dinner for Michael's birthday (it was Jan 29 but that was when we could go to dinner with his parents). Wednesday I had to work and then go to my parents (an hour away) to file my taxes so I could get my return to help pay for the wedding. Thursday I had to work, but got off at 1 because I had a wedding festival to work. Well I got there at 1 and didn't get off my feet until I fell onto my couch at about 9pm! Friday thankfully we didn't have much after I got off work, but we did have stuff Saturday (but that's another post)!

I feel like such a heifer because I didn't go to the gym once this week! I did by a new video game for my Wii called My Fitness Coach so I did that Monday and Tuesday, but I wasn't able to do any other. Ugh!

Well thankfully next week and I think the next should be better because I have to LIVE at the tanning bed the next two weeks! I have my bridal portrait on the 21st so I need to get tan!

Well I think that's enough rambling for now... I'll be posting some new stuff here soon because I have lots to share :o)

Real Quick...

2009-02-04T23:32:00.000-05:00

Hey ladies! Look so sorry I've been MIA the last few days... this week came out of NO WHERE! I got a call Monday that a company I interviewed with last week wanted me to TEMP for another position that was supposed to be 2-3 days. Well looks like it's going to be longer. I had to file my taxes today too.. AND I have another bridal festival to work tomorrow here in Greenwood... I've got so much to do that I may not be back until either Friday (I hope because I have LOTS to post) or Sunday where I will have some downtime!

I have my first fitting Saturday AND my first shower so I definitely have lots... I promise I'm not leaving you ladies :) I love you all WAY to much... probably more than is normal :)

I'd like to introduce you to...

2009-02-01T22:13:00.001-05:00

Our ZOO! That's right, I have a zoo :)

We have a 2 year old Basset Hound named Daisy May...

And 4, yes I said 4, cats...

And no, Bandit is not as evil as he looks LOL! That's all thanks to dark room + bright flash! While some people think that it's too much, we wouldn't have it any other way! We LOVE our zoo :)

Preparing for the PERFECT Honeymoon

2009-01-29T14:07:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-01-27T21:07:00.000-05:00

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"

2009-01-27T13:25:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-01-26T20:48:00.000-05:00

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

2009-01-25T21:02:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-01-25T19:38:00.000-05:00

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

2009-01-24T13:49:00.000-05:00

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

2009-01-23T22:34:00.001-05:00

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

2009-01-23T22:17:00.000-05:00

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....

2009-01-22T13:02:00.000-05:00

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"

2009-01-21T15:28:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-01-15T00:16:00.000-05:00

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

2009-01-14T23:23:00.000-05:00

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!

Holly's Cakes

2009-01-12T12:23:00.000-05:00

So I always get the question of who is doing my cake... What does it look like? Etc. So without further ado... HERE IT IS!

A little background on how we found and ultimately picked ours:

Our reception local is a very large room so I wanted my cake to have a presence in the room so I wanted a BIG cake!

I was set on another local baker in the Greenville area. We went to her and she designed a beautiful 5 layer cake... for $650! Above our budget. Well we told her it was too much and hoped she would try to refigure and redraw something that would fit into our budget. So we took the drawing and said we'd think about it. In the mean time we set up 2 other appointments with 2 other bakers. The second appointment was the same as the first. Great cake... HUGE price! She was the same didn't really give many options but wouldn't let me take the drawing that we custom designed because it was hers. She was out before I even left the room!

The last appointment was with a wonderful woman named Holly of Holly's Cakes. As you all know I am a photographer and had shot a wedding where she had a cake. I'm very particular about cakes. I don't like crunchy icing (you know... where the cake has sat out for a while and the outer part of the icing gets crunchy) and upon eating this delicious cake at this wedding I asked who did it and they said Holly's. So I knew going in that she had great cakes the question was could she work with us... So we went through the same motions as before and she gave a great cake with again... a bigger price tag than we wanted. So mom, Michael, and I are discussing this issue as she is doing something with that pencil of hers. She flips around this paper and my mouth drops. It's a 4 tier (yes I know I said I wanted 5 but keep reading!) cake with everything that we had wanted with a HUGE separator to add height and the faux ice blocks as the stand. I couldn't believe it! And the best part... we were getting more slices than with the 5 tier (the bottom tier was fake) and it was right on our budget!

So what does it look like? I'll post it next :) But our flavors are:

Bottom: White Cake with Butter Cream Filling

Second: Yellow and Chocolate Marble Cake with Fudge Filling

Third: Strawberry Cake with Butter Cream Filling

Top: Hummingbird Cake with Butter Cream Filling

Needless to say, I have been a spokes person for her ever since. She is such a wonderful woman and she does GREAT work. You can see her website at http://www.hollyscakes.com/ and if you would like more information on her please feel free to contact me. Below are some of her cakes...

A Hard Time

2009-01-12T11:58:00.000-05:00

So this past week has been really hard on me. We are now 61 days out and I am still without a job. Excitedly enough, I do have an interview tomorrow, but I'm a little scared about it. They work Saturdays and considering we are 2 months out, there are really on 2 or 3 Saturdays between now and the wedding I can actually work. And on top of that I am going to be taking a lot of time off too! I have at least 1 or 2 days I will either have to take off or take a half day between now and March AND the week of the wedding I will have to have the Thursday and Friday off and possibly a half day that Wednesday AND the week of the honeymoon. I'm hoping that they will see how great of a candidate I am for the position and deal with me for the first couple of months. I need the job seeing that I've been out of work since November 4 and we desperately need the money!

So on to the hard week... because I have been out of work, we are having to cut items from my dream wedding just so we can afford it. My mom is footing the whole bill except for things she didn't think were needed, IE. Chair Covers. So I said I would pay for those and anything above what she couldn't do (we were on a $5000 budget and we are WAY over... like we are at about $10000 including the approx $1500 me and Michael are doing) being alcohol and my dress alterations and accessories.

And on top of that, invitations went out last Saturday. We already have 60+ YESES! We haven't gotten a single NO yet! Granted, the yeses we have gotten have all been expected people except 2, but still... I guess I should be grateful that that many people love us enough to come to our wedding. But it's hard when I still have to pay for those people! LOL

So here I sit watching my dream wedding go down the drain... I'm hoping for a GREAT tax refund because that will definitely help out a lot.

So PLEASE pray for me to get this job and/or for a financial miracle/blessing. We could really use the thoughts and prayers as we buckle down for the final countdown!

I'm different... I want CUSTOM

2008-12-21T10:18:00.000-05:00

So I stumbled across an awesome site the other day! The owner and I have chatted back and forth on email, and I must say she seems to be a very sweet girl! She offers so many custom items and if they don't have something that you are wanting to have customized, just ask!

Aisle Runners

Unity Candles

Custom Champagne Flutes, Martini Glasses, Wine Glasses, and MORE!

Custom Banners

Custom Cake Toppers

Custom Table Numbers

So where do I find this stuff you ask?? Check out Three Galas Designs! There is a link to their blog on the right hand side of my page. There is a link on their page to the website where you can order all of these items and more. So check her out!

Note: All photos are used courtesy of Three Galas Designs

Yuuummmm... How I LOVE cake!

2008-12-19T15:48:00.000-05:00

So on one of the forums I am on, a girl was asking for ideas on her cake. Man oh man... I want cake now! She wanted ideas on what flavors to get and designs. Well there are lots of designs you can choose from...

Such as these more "traditional" cakes

Some people even do themes:

80s Themed

Caribbean Themed

Mario Themed

Some have even gotten into the mini-cake trend which I find so cool!

I on the other hand wanted something original... so this is a drawing of what I'm getting

This cake has what our squiggle is

Flavors can very depending on your taste. Here are some that are offered: White, Butter, Marble, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry, Neapolitan, Lemon White, Key Lime, Italian Cream, Red Velvet, Carrot, and almost anything else you can dream up most bakers will do. Be careful though, some bakers charge extra for certain flavors beyond their norm.

If fillings are your cup of tea, your options are limitless there too! Here are some: Raspberry, Strawberry, Fresh Fruits, Lemon, Fudge, Peanut Butter, Cream Cheese, Flavored Buttercreams, and again almost anything you can think of!

While I am partial to buttercream as my icing, you really only have a few options: Buttercream, Fondant, or Marzipan.

Like I said, your combinations are limitless. Just talk to your baker. And when it comes to flavor make sure that your pick can support your design. Some cakes are softer than others and cannot hold lots of detail. Talk to your baker and they can let you know what will and will not work.

Engagement Pictures

2008-12-19T08:29:00.000-05:00

So people always ask, are engagement pictures necessary? The answer is easy. No. Engagement pictures are just a way to have new pictures made of you and your now Fiance. Most people get them done to have a "engagement picture" to put in their local newspaper as an Engagement Announcement. While I just got them done to have some cute new pictures of me and my fiance, you can use them for whatever. But NO you don't have to get them done. So don't let anyone, your mom, dad, or photographer tell you you HAVE to get them done.

On that note, I figured I would share some of mine... these are a few of my favorites but not all of them! We got a lot of great ones!

Maid vs. Matron of Honor

2008-12-09T14:20:00.000-05:00

So on one of the forums that I am a part of there have been many posts regarding the difference between a Maid of Honor and a Matron of Honor.

The role that the MOH plays is the same regardless of if she is a Maid or a Matron. What is the difference in the title then? A Maid of Honor is a woman who is not or never has been married. A Matron of Honor is a woman who is married or has been married.

You can choose the title you wish to use if you have a Matron and she doesn't like the title. However the role is the same.

The following are the duties of the Maid/Matron of Honor (http://ads.omaha.com/WedEssentials/checklists/matron.pdf):

• Pays for her own gown, headdress and shoes.
• If from out of town, pays for her own transportation to the wedding site.
• If not a family member, usually gives or arranges for a shower, luncheon or party for the bride or for the bride and groom.
• Usually consults with the bridesmaids about a joint gift for the bride, collects the money, purchases the gift and presents it to the bride at the chosen occasion. This gift often has the wedding date and sometimes the initials or names of the givers on it. This gift is separate from the individual wedding present to be given to the couple by each member of the bridal party.
• Attends rehearsal for instructions on processional, ceremony and recessional.
• Attends the rehearsal dinner. May be asked to make a toast.
• Follows bride’s wishes on where and when to dress for the ceremony and show up prepared and on time. Remembers to collect her own belongings afterwards.
• Helps the bride dress.
• Calms bride’s nerves!
• Immediately precedes bride in processional.
• Normally stands next to bride at altar and holds bride’s bouquet.
• Turns back bride’s veil if necessary.
• Adjusts train after processional.
• In a double-ring ceremony, is in charge of groom’s ring and produces it at the
• proper time.
• At the end of the ceremony, helps adjust bride’s train and veil when she turns for
• the recessional.
• Serves as a legal witness
• Is available for photographs.
• Stands in receiving line next to the groom.
• If there is a bridal table, sits to the left of the groom.
• Helps bride change into her going away clothes and makes certain the wedding gown is taken care of.

You can also see the link below for more information.
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/wedding_planning/vpost?id=885202

I found this information by going to Google (you can use the Search box above if you want to search yourself) and put in Maid vs. Matron of Honor and many articles came up.

Choosing your Bridal Party

2008-12-09T13:57:00.000-05:00

So I'm so very sorry I have been MIA lately. I've been so busy with the Christmas party we had this weekend, looking for jobs, and taking care of the house, everything else has really fallen behind. So I have taken a moment to post a new topic.

One of the biggest parts of the wedding is the Bridal Party. That is your bridesmaids and groomsmen. How do you know who to choose and how many to pick?

In all honesty, it is totally up to you. First thing to think of is how many girls/guys can you afford to have. You may want 15 bridesmaids and 15 groomsmen because you have that many close to you, but can you afford that many? Meaning, the more people you have, the more money you have to spend. How is that? Well you have bouquets and boutonnieres for each and then you have gifts for each that can range from $10-50+ each. Also, does it make sense to have a 30 person bridal party? If you are having a small wedding (under 100 people) then no it does not make sense to have a 30 person bridal party.

You should choose people who are close to you, family and friends. If you are very close to your family, in my opinion, you should choose family before you choose friends. If you figure out you can afford and makes sense to have 4 people each and you have 6 people you want to choose, there are other roles that those people can play. They can read a passage at the ceremony, they can man the guest book, hand out programs, or be honorary bridesmaids/groomsmen listed in the program.

Remember, friends can come and go, but family is always going to be there. Does that mean you should ask the sister you haven't talked to in 10 years to be a bridesmaid, No. But if it comes down to a friend you have had for 2 years and a sister you have always been close to, you should take the sister (in my opinion, but again it is up to you).

Always think hard about who you want to pick. Don't pick someone on a whim. People get their feelings hurt very easily when it comes to being in your wedding. Don't pick someone because you think its a good idea and then change your mind. For example, a girl posted on a forum about her BIL asking her husband to be his Best Man. Great right? Well a week later, the BIL decides he wants a girl he has knows for 6 months to be his Best Woman, meaning he was asking the husband to step down. The husband was devastated. You should really think before just asking someone.

In my opinion, you should not name your bridal party until about 7-8 months before the wedding. You should create a list of who you think you want and why you would want that person. Think about it, and then review the list again a few weeks later. Do you still want that person? If so, ask them.

More Pictures

2008-11-28T22:55:00.000-05:00

So here are some more of my pictures. Again, please see the post below. I needing help naming myself as a photographer. Unsure if I want to use my name or come up with something else. Comments are welcome here and I would love suggestions on what to name the business!

My Photography - Needing Help

2008-11-28T13:03:00.000-05:00

So as a "One Woman Wedding Show" most of you know that I also do work as a photographer. Well I currently work as an assistant (http://www.carolwhitephotography.com/) but am hoping to branch out on my own some as well. My problem is, I don't know what to call myself. I don't want to do Amber Thompson Photography seeing that I'm getting married in 3 months and would have to change it. So do I do Amber Dixon Photography? Dixon Photography? Or do I do something completely different like Moment in Time Photography?

Here's where you can help. In a comment, post suggestions of what you think I could call myself. I'll then compile them together and create a poll of the tops ones. You can submit more than one suggestion as many are welcome!

Here are some examples of my work (I'll post more later), and if you would like to talk to me about doing something for you please feel free to contact me using the email on my profile :o)

Do I need a Wedding Planner?

2008-11-28T12:55:00.000-05:00

There is really no definitive answer to this question. It really comes down to do you want a wedding planner?

While a wedding planner is very helpful in scheduling meetings with vendors during the planning process, many brides are capable of doing this on their own. A wedding planner is basically there to make the brides life easier during the planning process and on the day of. For a busy bride-to-be who doesn't have much time to do wedding planning, then yes, a wedding planner would be helpful. But for a bride who has time to do the research and go to meetings, then no a wedding planner would not be needed.

However, even for brides who decide to forgo the idea of a wedding planner, a wedding coordinator is a must! The coordinator will run everything from the rehearsal to the ceremony and reception. They are there to ensure that everyone is in their place and that timing runs smoothly. They tell each person when to go down the aisle and when reception time comes they let the bride and groom know when it is time to do the first dance, cut the cake, throw the bouquet, etc.

So while a wedding planner is optional, I think a wedding coordinator (friend, family, or hired) is necessary.

Location, LoCaTiOn, LOCATION

2008-11-25T13:56:00.001-05:00

If there is one thing that I learned during my four year in college its that the most important part of a business (or well, event in this case) is the LOCATION! The location sets the tone and becomes the canvas for which the entire event is placed. There are factors to consider when choosing locations.

Do you want a church wedding? An outdoor wedding? Or just a location to hold the ceremony? This can be anything from a church, to a pavilion, to a theater; just about anything can be used for a ceremony.

Your biggest thing to consider, as mentioned in the post below, is budget. You want to make sure that you stay within your budget when choosing locations. However, this is not what most of you would think. So for example... you have found 2 locations:

Location 1: One word... BEAUTIFUL. Comes with tables, chairs, linens (table and chair covers), small centerpieces - hurricane vases with candles in your colors, small mirror underneath, with crystals and flower petals in your colors scattered on the table - (or for a little extra custom ones) and needs little to no decoration. The cost... $1600 and up depending on if you do custom centerpieces or stick with the ones they offer in the deal.

Location 2: Nice. Comes with tables and chairs, but you would need to bring in linens and centerpieces plus other decor. Price... $700.

Which do you choose? The cheaper of the 2? Not here.

While the $700 seems like a good deal, think of all the additional items you are going to have to bring in. Chairs are ugly and you want chair covers... depending on the number of guests you are looking at an additional $400-500 or about $3-5 per chair. Table clothes can run from $10-12.50 and up each. So if you are having 150 guests and each table seats 8, you need 19 tables and 152 chairs. So if the table clothes are the lower price point of $10, you have $190 for tables (and if you want toppers its extra) and if the chair covers are the lower price point you have $456 for chair covers plus $152 if you use chair sashes to go around the covers. So now you are at $1498 and you haven't even picked out centerpieces yet. Centerpieces can run between $15 to hundreds of dollars. So if you are lucky enough to find centerpieces at $15 each (mine range from $20-$35... I'm having 3 different ones) you are at $285 for 19 centerpieces. This brings your total to $1783.

So which would you choose? Just because a location is cheap to rent, doesn't mean it will be cheaper in the long run. You must step back and look at the bigger picture and determine what it will take to make that location into what you imagined.

When it comes to a ceremony location, simple is the key word. You want all of the focus to be on you and your husband during the ceremony so extravagant decorations aren't really needed. If they are your thing then go for it, but you want people to focus on you and your husband, not the decorations. Some ceremony locations can range from $50 up into the thousands of dollars. Just be careful of hidden costs. Most churches or clubs will also allow nonmembers to use there facilities at a higher cost. However, if you know someone that is a member, most churches and clubs will allow a member to sponsor a nonmember; meaning the nonmember can get the member price! Just check and read the fine print of any information you get from any location.

The key thing to remember is don't just book the first place you find. Shop around. You can find great deals by doing research and bargaining. Good luck!

I'M ENGAGED! Now what?

2008-11-25T13:21:00.000-05:00

Well congratulations on your engagement! I know there are now lots of details swirling through your head right now. One word of advice... go to the store and buy a three ring binder, dividers, and notebook paper! Ok, done that? Good! Now you need to organize that binder into your wedding binder. You'll need tabs for budget, fashion, catering, cake, guest list, invitations, rentals, DJ, ceremony, reception, flowers, photography, and video. All tabs are not necessary; only use them if they apply to what you want for your wedding.

Since we know that the first thing we all did/do after getting that ring on our finger is rush out and buy any and every bridal magazine we can get our hands on... with your Wedding Binder you now have somewhere to place things so that anytime you have an idea, anytime you see a picture in a magazine you like, anytime you see something online... you can write it down, rip it out, and print it off; punch holes in it; and place it under the applicable tab. This will help you in your planning. This way, if you see a bouquet that you like in a few magazines, when you go to meet with your florist, you will have examples of what you want. Or when you go dress shopping, you will have pictures of styles that you like that your consultant can pull and you can try them on. This will save you time from having to try and explain what it looks like or trying on things that you didn't know you didn't like.

Ok, now, after announcing the engagement to your family, it is time for a family meeting. This means you, your FH, your parents, and FIL (Future In Laws). This meeting is to talk about wedding plans but most importantly... the budget. You need to find out who wants to contribute and what they are willing to contribute. This will help in the overall decision on how much you can spend on your wedding. So, for example, in my case, my parents are footing the entire bill. We did not ask the FILs for any contribution and they did not offer, which is fine since they are graciously paying for our Honeymoon :) They gave us a budget (which we quickly went over) but then we started discussing other things that I wanted... like chair covers. Mom saw this as an unnecessary item and said that if I wanted it I had to pay for it. This meeting will get all the money on the table so that if you thought a $20,000 wedding was reasonable, but mom and dad can only give $5000 and FILs offered up $5000, you either have to watch your money or come up with the additional $10,000. Remember though, you don't have to spend the entire budget. It is only a guide line... it's always great to come in under budget!

Once a budget is decided, the next step is to determine a date. Depending on the budget, you may need more time to come up with the money for the wedding so the budget will help determine how long your engagement will be. After deciding a length of time you need to determine a season: Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall.

Once the date is set, you need to find locations for the ceremony and reception. These are the big things that should be done first, because locations can push back or up your date depending on the availability of the location. You then need to start looking at vendors. Photography and catering would be the top 2 after locations. Then music (either a band or DJ or an Ipod), fashion (depending on the dress you find and the length of time it takes to come in you may need to do this early or you can push it off some), and anything else you want.

Sometimes the brides dress will set the mood for the wedding. Meaning a very formal gown needs a formal setting. You don't want to have a formal wedding gown with paper plates and BBQ (but if that's your dream and budget GO FOR IT!)... nor do you want an informal gown and bone china with a 8 course sit down meal. You have to ensure that the theme goes through-out... I don't mean just a butterfly theme type thing!

Well, I think that may be about it... there will of course be more topics including the one to follow this one. So if you have questions or comments keep them coming! It will only help me to help you!

Let me Introduce myself...

2008-11-24T23:31:00.001-05:00

Good evening all! First of all thanks for coming over and checking out my new adventure. I'm really interested to see where this goes.

So, first things first, let me introduce myself. My name is Amber Thompson and I am the future Mrs. Dixon. I was born and raised in Simpsonville, SC and graduated from Hillcrest High School. After graduating from high school, I moved to Greenwood, SC to attend college at Lander University. I graduated from Lander in August of 2007 with a bachelors degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. Since graduating, I have bounced from job to job due to a long run of bad luck (bad luck = 3 lay offs in a little over a year). Now, due to my most recent lay off, my day consists of job searching, wedding planning, working out, wedding planning, taking care of the house, wedding planning, taking care of my fur-babies, and oh, did I mention... wedding planning?

I met my FH (future husband) in August of 2006 where we quickly became friends. Well that friendship turned into a relationship on November 14, 2006. We moved in together in April of 2007 (quick, yes I know) and have been going strong ever since. We got engaged on February 3, 2008 and the wedding planning began. We have set the date for March 14, 2009 (our 2 year and 4 month anniversary) and are counting down the days until it gets here!

This, however, is not my first wedding to plan. First trip down the aisle, but not first experience wedding planning. I have learned a lot between the two and am glad to have found real love. I have learned so much from planning my own wedding as well as working weddings. I work with 2 different wedding planners assisting them in planning and directing weddings: my mom and a local wedding planner here in town. On top of that, I am also a photographer and work with an event gallery that hosts weddings and receptions. So, with all the wedding talk, my FH said, "Why don't you turn this into something to keep you busy?" So I started researching and decided, eh, why not! So here I am. I am here to post off the wall topics on weddings, advice on subjects that I may have encountered, and any questions that you have.

Got a question about etiquette? Decorations? Colors? Anything? Send me an email with the question and any details you think will help me out and I will research it for you and based on the research and my experience will post a blog topic answering your question.

I really enjoy weddings. My FH asks me all the time, "What are you going to do when our wedding is over?" It kinda makes me sad to think that once my wedding is over, I won't be able to do it anymore. Well, I think I have found my niche. My passion. I love planning and directing and I hope that this blog is only the beginning. If you would like to contact me on helping you plan your wedding... PLEASE DO! I am willing to do it!

I hope that this will be a great help to all of you as well as a great wedding outlet for me. So.... without further ado... lets start blogging!