A Beautiful Wedding in Baltimore: Part II

I can't believe there's only 1 picture of Mr. SE and I at Kate's wedding! I was too busy taking pictures of everybody else that I forgot to take a picture of us. How unusual- I'm usually very snap happy. Anyways, Mr. SE requested that I post the picture of us. So enjoy!

Engaged Nashville

Come to Engaged Nashville- Girl's Night Out. Ashley's Bride Guide is hosting an event for all local engaged ladies on July 23rd. We'll discuss current wedding trends and our own planning process. I'm looking forward to meeting all the Music City brides-to-be. Please shoot me an email at garrison.se@gmail.com if you'd like to receive an invitation.

Down South Catering will be providing all the delicious food, and Aloft will be offering complimentary infusion cocktails! Here's some pictures from Down South's recent events.

A Beautiful Wedding in Baltimore

Kate was married in a lovely Catholic Mass, followed by a tented wedding in her backyard. The tent was beautiful, it looked like something out of the Great Gatsby. We had so much fun, and the pictures speak for themselves.

Have you ever seen a more elegant bride? I got butterflies every time I looked at her!Obviously good times were had for all. Me dancing in the "circle" with the bride.They did a dance where all married couples were on the dance floor, then you left based on the amount of years you'd been married. The winners? Kate's maternal grandparents that have been married for 60+ years. How cute are they?!? What great role models for a lasting marriage filled with love.

I Miss Mr. SE

{cheers to you, Mr. SE, you're the best!}

It's funny. We lived near each other at Elon for 1 1/2 years, then we lived apart for 2. I got used to seeing him once a month, and every time it was a little "less" sad when we parted. We've been living together for 1 month now, and I've already gotten so used to it. I flew up to my parents' house on Wednesday morning, and I've been really missing him over the past few days. It's crazy how quickly you become accustomed to being around each other all the time.

I'm about to pick him up at the airport. Luckily he was able to fly in for Kate's wedding, although he did have to miss the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. This trip made me realize just how much I want to be with him.

MS Weddings Summer 2009

Where is my MS Weddings magazine? I'm a subscriber and normally I get my issue before they hit stands. I knew it had to be coming soon- I just felt it. So you have to imagine my shock and horror- when I saw it at Target. Have you received your issue yet?

Sad Day

In keeping with bloggers all over, I'm going to write a little post about Farrah and Michael. Michael inspired me to dance, I did it competitively for lots of years. His music still always gets me up off my feet and puts me in a good mood. Regardless of personal issues in his life, he was a fantastic musician and performer.

Farrah is my hair icon. She was a great actress and style icon. And like someone said here on the news "now she's with the real Angels".

Get excited for posts next week. I've figured out a color palette, floral, and bridesmaid looks. The inspiration will be off the hook. My OneNote is exploding to be shared with you!

And Holy OMG- Kate's rehearsal is tomorrow and her wedding is the next day. My best friend is getting married. Does that make you want to watch the classic Julia Roberts flick? Me too. Enjoy your weekend!

Forgot My Purse, Bummer

I just arrived at Chez Mom and Dad SE in the big VA. I'll have sporadic internet until Sunday night, so don't plan on many blog posts. During my flight I realized that I left my dressy clutch (for K's wedding) at home. Luckily Mr. SE is flying up Friday night, so I'll have him bring it.

But if I had to pick another clutch right now, I'd choose this one from Etsy. This would be a perfect bridal option too. Something blue? I think so.

When To Wed?

{kit information here}

In my mind I've always been a spring bride. I was born in May, our anniversary is May 4, my parents were married April 3rd, I like it warm out (but not hot), and pastels are my most favorite colors. But the truth is, I don't know if we could pull off a wedding by next spring. An 8 month engagement? Not for this planning diva. I want all the time possible to explore every single option...type A anyone? That being said, I don't want to wait until 2011.

So now I'm exploring the option of late summer (August) or November. I won't get married in September because A) everybody does it and B) FSIL/FBIL SE got married in September. And October isn't really my thing because A) everybody does it. If we're looking at November, I'd definitely like to do it maybe the first weekend? Ugh...

I had thought of doing a summer wedding w/ a wedding indoors (church), cocktail hour outdoors, and reception inside. But it's just SO. HOT. HERE! And I would probably just cry if I saw those telltale black clouds coming in.

So for now, we'll continue to contemplate our date conundrum (or maybe it''ll just be me contemplating). I love the floral arrangement above because not only are the flowers cloth (they won't die!), but they'll fit with a spring, summer, or fall palette. I'm obsessed with dusty mauve, pink, grey, and ivory colors right now! What do you think about that?

Help, I'm Tweeting!

Okay, Ashley convinced me to do it. You can now follow my super exciting life via twitter. My username is MissSE06.

Why MissSE06? Well, Miss SE for obvious reasons. And 06 because it's when Mr SE and I met! Oh, and because everything else was taken.

You Are So Beautiful, To Me....Can't You SEE

Imagine me singing that song in a super high pitched Alfalfa (Little Rascals, obv) voice. It was really great it my head. Anyways, I love this dress. I keep coming back to the clean lines and classic shape. I've read a couple reviews from past brides who have advised against having a strapless dress. Mr SE and I lurrrve to dance. I will dance till my little booty can't dance no more. So now I'm getting nervous that if I a) get sweaty b) the dress streches out, I might give our guests some definitely indecent exposure. The thought of adding straps for a reception has definitely crossed my mind, but I wish there was a "prettier" option. Any thoughts?

For now, I will leave you with this photo of "strap" inspiration.

Maps, Maps, Maps

{formal}

I was first introduced to the idea of maps and weddings by the lovely Laura Hooper. Seriously, who doesn't love her work?!? She takes something simple like a map, and turns it into an absolute work of art. Here's another company I recently came across in my search for fun wedding maps. This will definitely be an option for us, as we'll be having our wedding ceremony and reception at two different locations.

Ideally, we'd like the ability to have everyone walk from the ceremony to reception, so a guided "foot tour" of Nashville would be especially fun! Are you planning on using maps? I've also thought about making them myself- has anyone tried that?{fun}

House Hunting: Part I

Mr. SE and I are house shopping. Like a lot of young couples, we're trying to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit and get into a home before November 30th, 2009. We're trying to find a 3 bedroom home for less than $200,000. Ideally, I'd like it to be newer construction because of my allergies. I'm allergic to everything- dust, mold, pollen, dander, you get the point. This is one of the little houses that we have our eye on. It's cute, no? We love the curb appeal and Craftsman styling!

Have any of you recently bought houses or are you currently shopping now? Was it simple to file for the tax credit? I love your advice and your consistent comments, please keep 'em coming!

An Intimate Reception, Cute Invite, and Classy Hurricanes

Here's a couple things I stumbled on during the week...

Love this reception picture from The Perfect Palette. The whole affair looks so intimate, carefree, and effortlessly chic. I'm picturing an upscale picnic theme; complete with french bread sandwiches, a large fruit bowl, and several pasta salads. Definitely the kind of event I'd like to attend!

This coaster slash invite from Greer Chicago is absolutely too cute! I'd love to receive one of these in the mail, stashed in a bright pink envelope. This would be great for any type of female get-together: bachelorette, bridal shower, birthday party, "just because" girl's night.

This last find is from a ridiculously amazing floral blog. If you haven't visited before, please take a looksie at The Treasured Petal. Their work is amazing and oozes inspiration for any type of wedding. I'm in love with the hurricaine pictured above. The bride and groom chose to have their favorite book excerpts or poems transferred onto the glass- what an ingenious idea. The light cast was so soft and glowing!

The Lovely Blog Award

I recently received my first official award, not tag, The Lovely Blog Award. It's only fitting that this award was sent by Lovely Tonight- how perfect! She's a Nashville bride-to-be and is getting married August 22nd. I love the updates on her wedding, and definitely plan on taking some of her advice while planning in the same area. Check out her blog list on the right column- tons of goodies to browse!

Now it's my turn, I'd like to tag the following 6 blogs because I think they're extra lovely. Keep up the good work ladies!

Jessica at The Budget Savvy Bride: Seriously amazing DIY inspiration for brides with or without a strict budget. She just got married and had the most beautiful teal/yellow affair!

Caroline Elizabeth at Temptation & Bliss: She has an amazing sense of style and always posts the most dream-worthy pictures. Also- the girl just got a promotion! Head over and offer her some congratulations!

Lisa at Lime in The Coconut: Recipe inspiration to the max! Lisa knows what's up in the kitchen. Check out her Baked Buffalo Chicken recipe- it'll keep you healthy while meeting your man's need for buffalo wings!

Heather at We Met in A Bar: She has great inspiration from flowers to reception decor. What more, she made all the wedding stationery herself. Yeah, amazing. Fun fact? Me and Mr. SE met in a bar as well. More on that story later!

Laura at The Beginning of Forever: She's getting married this August, just like Lovely Tonight. Please go read the recap of her bachelorette- looks like such a fun time!

Caitlin at Think Happy Thoughts: This bride-to-be is planning an Atlanta wedding in October. She has great posts on planning, and a weekly recap of So You Think You Can Dance. Love it!

Banana Outlet Sale

Ladies, run do not walk to your nearest Banana Republic Outlet. The entire store is 40%. Yes- even the clearance!!! No coupon needed. I picked up a couple dresses today, and I'll be sure to post pictures tomorrow.

Behind the Clouds Dress

I just saw this dress at Anthropologie and died a little bit. It's lovely!

I'm looking online for another one of my girlfriends who is getting married Oct 24th. We're looking for inexpensive maids dresses, that don't look bridesmaidy. Any thoughts? Please leave a comment if you've got any ideas. Also- does anyone have experience with the Priscilla of Boston bridesmaids collection?

BFF SE to Wed!!!!

Well friends, BFF SE is getting married next Saturday in Baltimore. It's official, her wedding is now on the Weather.com 10 day outlook! K and K got engaged last July, so it's been almost a year of planning fun. Here's a picture of us at my graduation.

She's wearing a lovely Romona Keveza gown and I know she's going to be such a beautiful bride! The maids are wearing navy dresses from J. Crew weddings (Erica and Lyndsey). I'll be in the Lyndsey, and clearly I'll be taking details shots for you!

K loves Gerbera Daises, so these next couple pictures are for her. All pictures are from The Knot.

Vegetables, Finally!

Our microwave broke a while back, and GE wanted $75 to fix it. Excuse me, sir? I believe that's close to the price of a new one! Yesterday I hopped over to Target and picked up this little beauty (by Emerson). It was $85 and completely covered with graduation gift cards thankyouverymuch.

Now you know I have a penchant for Lean Cuisine Pizzas, but what you didn't know is that I LOVE VEGGIES! Last night I ate the most delicious bowl of Bird's Eye green bean steamers. Happy as a clam.

Dress Crush

I have a major crush on some dresses. I was just in Faccio to try on some bridesmaid dresses, and saw some gorgeous bridal frocks. The JLM's have been my love interest for a long time, and it was fabulous to see them in person.

This lady was even more beautiful in person. Talk about detail!This Rivini definitely caught my eye, as it was so classic and beautiful.

My Favorite Things

Taking a cue from my girl Oprah, I've decided to showcase a couple of my favorite things right now. I'm in love with this Clean Start kit from Dermaloigca. I was on two pills and two prescription face creams for the past six months. Before graduation I was so stressed (read: breakouts) and needed to try something else. I picked this up with my Zeno (post) and this kit has seriously changed my skin. The wash and spray are amazing! The lotion keeps my skin nourished but not greasy, and the mask is a great way to do a weekly freshen-up!This couples' logo from Betsy White is so simple and whimsical. I would plaster this little beauty on napkins, invites, STDs, favors, ice sculpture? Okay, maybe ice sculpture was over the top. But seriously, I love this logo. Lastly, I'm obsessed with bridesmaids' dresses reflecting their own style. It's great how each of these girls (style me pretty) has their hair and dress different than each other, while staying with the brides' color palette. Also- if the maids pick their dresses they're more likely to wear them again. What's your opinion on bridesmaids wearing different styles?

Nightstand Conundrum

Can I please have some advice for a nightstand? Mr. SE has a super thick mattress, so it's hard to find a stand high enough. There's a decorator's table on his side of the bed, but we're stumped on what to do with mine. I can't believe how expensive the tables from Target are..."shocking!"

500 bonus points if you immediately thought of Elf

Delicious Dinner and One Sleepy Puppy

{take a looksie at my cute Oil & Vinegar set from Home Goods}

Last night I made a delicious dinner that I just had to share. Mr. SE handles the Asia Pacific accounts for his company and works late on Tuesday nights to compensate for the time difference. The good news: we get to sleep in until 11ish in the middle of the week. Bad news: he doesn't come home until 9pm at the earliest. So on Tuesday nights I've been making slack-ass meals for myself. No more. I'm going to try and make a simply, healthy meal every Tuesday from now on.

Last night I picked up some fresh Perdue chicken tenders. Coated them w/olive oil, dried rosemary, salt, pepper and baked them in the over. Used my bagged greens and sliced up a red pepper. Drizzled oil and vinegar on top of the greens and placed chicken tenders on top. End result: delicious perfection! I ate my fancy feast on a tray table and watched the CMT Awards.

One last this I felt compelled to share. Duffie has found a new home in my closet. Our closets are particularly small, so I've started using the one in our 2nd bedroom (office). The closet aligns next to my desk and Duffie now enjoys curling up at the end with my dresses. Too cute to NOT take a picture! Yes, those are my scrapping supplies. We had the carpets cleaned yesterday and had to get everything off the floor. {see her at the end?}

Destination Inspiration

Mr. SE is a little more adventurous than myself. He was the first to suggest we have our marriage in Paris (my favorite city), or somewhere else besides DC/Atlanta/Nashville. At first I thought he was out of his mind! But now I'm having second thoughts. A couple Weddingbees have recently had destination weddings, and I'm definitely getting inspired.

Check out this video from Mrs. Kitten's amazing wedding in Grand Cayman. Ready to book your plane ticket? I am!

CMT Awards

So many things to say about the CMT Awards already.
1. Why didn't I try and get tickets for the red carpet/show?'
2. Julianne Hough's dress is seriously blowing my mind
3. Taylor Swift's collaboration with T. Pain is probably the hardest I've laughed in awhile
4. Kellie Pickler makes me miss North Carolina
5. Where was Carrie Underwood? I didn't see her on the red carpet and it's strange that she didn't present/perform. Anybody know the answer to this?

I'm finishing dinner and watching the rest of the show (on DVR obviously, you know I can't handle commercials!). I'll post pictures of my favorite outfits tomorrow.

Reception Perfection

I just saw this picture on Coco + Kelly, via TheBridesCafe and I just died a little bit. One word: perfection. Cedarwood: please post pictures of your new barn so I can start dreaming up decoration ideas!

Chambre au Mr. and Miss SE

{muscleicious handyman for hire}

Mr. SE was such a fantastical boyfriend last night and put together our WHOLE Hemnes dresser! What a man! The dresser is enormous and came in two flat boxes. Read: lots of work on the consumer's part. Oh well, that's what makes Ikea so cheap and fabulous! So we started around 7pm watching the Bachelorette (obviously) and organizing the pieces of the dresser. We finished the dresser while watching 2 hours of Bachelorette and 1 hour of Meet the Newlyweds (and one large pizza from Papa John's).
The inside of the drawers are lined with cute yellow stripes. It really brightens up the black/brown exterior. This is Mr. SE around 10:30- so close to being done!!!
And here's the finished product in our room!!! I looks like it cost way more, and we're really excited about the end results. We may or may not be purchasing a flat screen for over the dresser- still deciding on that one. As for our nick nacks, some of those will be moving to other locations once we get more established in the apartment. The Eiffel Tower picture? Yea, I took it! What do you think about the finished look?

Running in My Gerbil Wheel

Dave Ramsey always says that we shouldn't settle for running around in a gerbil wheel. There's still boxes and chaos in our 2nd bedroom, boxes in the garage to be unpacked, lots of pictures to be hung. An apartment to be cleaned (apparently the past renters had a golden retriever- so that's why my allergies have been so bad). While trying to transfer my license, insurance, plates, and title (from my parents) it feels like I'm in my own little wheel. I've spent the greater part of my day trying to figure out which office needed what forms and what needed to be completed prior to each location. Whew! I'm worn out. And we haven't even started putting together the Ikea furniture. Oh, and what's for dinner? I have no clue! I'll probably do the lemon/garlic/white wine standby. Mr. SE loves it. On second thought, I might just pour myself a glass of white right now.

Did anyone else have problems trying to transfer everything to a new state or out of your parents' name? I'd love any/all advice. Sorry about that post, I just needed to rant a little bit.

Eggplant and Cowboy Boots

I am 125% in love with this photograph from Mint & Sage. They're amazing and I just wish we could afford them! I love the filter used on this image, and the short dress/cowboy boot combo is too cute. Purple is such a hot color for weddings right now.

Weekend Update

Mr. SE and I arrived back in TN late last night. The wedding was a lot of fun, and we're glad we got to spend time with Mr. SE's parents. On Sunday we went to Ikea with FMIL SE and made out like bandits- as usual. I go into Ikea wanting one particular item and leave $500 poorer.

Anywho, here's the breakdown of what we picked up. I'll be sure to pictures of them in use once we put them together.

HEMNES MIRROR
We're going to be hanging this little beauty over the dining room table

HEMNES DRESSER
This will go in our room. Maybe soon we'll be adding a little TV on top of this lovely dresser.
ORGEL VRETEN LAMP
This is going in the corner of our room- eventually. Right now it's hanging out by the door.

A Picnic for Two...or 100

We're here in Atlanta for Meghann and Adam's wedding. Mr. SE is a groomsman, and with a palette of espresso and champagne (does this sound like our living room?) the wedding is sure to impress. Tonight was the rehearsal dinner, and we had a lovely time. Mr. SE has taken Adam and the other groomsman to see The Hangover (yes, again). Not sure if that's the most positive message before the wedding, but Adam said he'd really enjoy seeing it. Tomorrow we'll be having the wedding in the early evening, so blogging will be on hiatus. Don't ask me why I didn't bring my laptop- or a toothbrush?!?! I'll definitely post pictures of the wedding- as if that's even a question.For now, take a gander at this lovely picnic inspired wedding from Oh Happy Day! I love, love, love picnics. Mr. SE and I are planning on taking a picnic to Arrington Vineyards next weekend. Also- my mom is planning a picnic for Mr. SE and myself at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore after K's wedding weekend! Purple is SO hot right now, and I'm loving all of the simple details that this event has to offer. Here's the link for more pictures.

Also- Duffie had her first hair cut in Nashville and I'm glad to report she looks fabulous! We went to Nashville Pet Products and she had the whole she-bang for $32. Not bad!

Tag, You're It!

Caroline Elizabeth, from Temptation and Bliss, tagged me! How cute?!! We're both _____ Elizabeth. Loves it!!!

1. Black and white pictures: I love how you focus on the emotion and not the colors. They remind me of my grandparents' photographs. Right now I'm obsessed with gallery frames w/ B&W pictures.
2. Duffie: I had a really rough time my junior year in college. I would leave for the weekend to visit Mr. SE or my parents and honestly didn't want to return back to school. The only reason I would go back to NC was because Duffie needed me. Seriously. You know that scene in Marley & Me where Jen Aniston is crying because Marley is the only one that understands her? That was me. I call her my guardian angel because not only is she white, but she saved me from a really rough period in my life.
3. Girlfriends old and new: No matter how secure or wonderful your relationship (or no relationship) with your man, it's incredibly important to keep strong females in your life. I'm lucky enough to have several close friends from college, one from high school, and one here in Nashville. Your relationship will inevitably go through ups and downs, and there might be things that Mr. Wonderful doesn't understand. These girls will get you through. Keep them close, and always let them know how much they mean to you.
4. The Beach: Everyone loves the beach, I love it during the off-season (early spring and fall). The waves are super romantic, especially if you're cuddled in a big sweater.
5. Reading: Growing up an only child, I learned to do things by myself. Reading is one of my huge pleasures in life. I've really enjoyed reading memoirs, non-fiction, and fiction alike. Jane Green is one of my favorite authors (she has a new book coming out this month), and I'm currently getting some great advice from Dave Ramsey in my present read.
6. Blogging: I'm sort of an introverted extrovert. Does that make sense? It takes me awhile to get comfortable and talking, but once I start it's hard to stop! New followers and comments get me so excited- I love the interactive aspect of blogging. I refer to my frequent readers/commentors in day to day conversations with Mr. SE. He thinks its kind of weird.

Now I'm going to tag the following blogging beauties:
Yours Truly
Her Highness of Cute
Hi, Lane's Newlywed Scandals
The Entertaining House
Just a Girl

Blog Awards: I've Been Splashed

I received three blogger awards this week- how exciting!?! I'll be responding to all three within the next two days. Be sure to read down, as I've written lots of posts in the past couple days.
Jessica, from Mason Jar Bride, splashed me! Check out her blog for great DIY inspiration and fantastic ideas for a purple & green color palette.

Here are the details of being Splashed:

The Splash Award is given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive and inspiring blogs. When you receive this award you must:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let your nominees know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog.

I'm honored to receive this award, and excited to pass it along to some equally fantastic Nashville bloggers! These ladies are fantastic. They always comment on my posts and have offered such fantastic advice as I'm settling in to this new city.

Cat at The Answer is You
Louise at The Thirty-Something Bride
Chelsea at The Future Mrs. Smith
Little Miss Southern
Ashley at Polka Dots and Paisley

*I don't know why the font is so messed up. Sorry*