Rehearsal Dinners

because our wedding is in October which in the wedding world has become the 'new' june and facilities book so quickly and i wanted to book and place for our rehearsal venue. so i called my FMIL to ask if she wanted me to find something or did she want to handle it. she told me to find something and get back with her so the hunt begins.. the wedding reception is located in the downtown area of our city which is filled with lots of restaurants and the such. but i never wanted to have a rehearsal dinner (RD) @ a restuarant b/c i really wanted it to be intimate. so my man of honor and i began the search of where to host the RD and we came across and an idea.

now i am one of those people who feel like a RD should be just that a dinner. our rehearsal starts @ 6:45 pm and should last an hour so it will be a little late in the evening (8ish) when we eat dinner so b/c of that i wanted to switch up my orginal idea of a soul food RD to something more fun... if you haven't noticed i LOVE themed parties and i always have it just so much fun and i love that.....


so here is my new idea: ( i don't know if my FMIL will go for it but we'll see :~} i got my fingers cross)

• i call it BBB- burgers, beer and bowling- we would have it a sports bar with a private room that can accomdate the slide show and the number of guest. we have to commit to 30 guests which is perfect for us! the room is free and not only is it free its not even located near any of the other patrons in the resturant. it has a big floor space with a 60" flat screen w/DVD player over a fireplace and 19" tvs along the wall perimeter where the booths are located perfect for the slide show right? We will have the cutest hamburger cake you ever wanted to see for dessert and afterwards go bowling- why bowling you ask? b/c FI and i met @ a bowling alley. (the only prob with the bowling idea is that it will be pretty late into the night but the wedding is not until after 5 the next day ). we can choice a variety of different types of burgers and sandwiches for the guests to choose from and they will preprint our selection on a menu. the place has great lighting.

here are the perks to the place and idea.

1. proxmity- it's out the back door of the venue - walking distance. you have to pass the resturant to get to the hotel.
2. its economical - not to hard on the wallet (we love to save $$$$$)
3. it's private and i get to have the intimate yet fun RD that i always wanted
4. my FMIL and FSIL can actually rest and enjoy the evening and not be cooking and running around.
5. there is no clean up and teardown
6. i love how it represents FI and the kind of guy he is... it's so perfect
7. no decorations needed....some cute centerpieces on the tables .. viola-complete
8. i just like that it is simple and fun (no muss no fuss)

We are 90% sold on the idea but the ILS have to like it too so we will see. How did/are you choosing your RD location?

HAPPY 30TH B-DAY TO ME!!!

So today is the actual day..today is my 3oth b-day! I have what I call BIG birthdays and 30 is definitely one of them. I really can't believe that I am 30 no more 20's yall. I embrace it and I am glad that I have lived to experience it... I had a pretty laid back day. I didn't do what I wanted to do but I enjoyed it none the less. I got a great present last night..what you may ask? My 6:30 AM clinical got cancelled so that meant no school today. YAY for me right! Then when I woke up this morning and the proof was ready for the STDs for the wedding and when I say that I LOOVVEEE them that's exactly what I mean. I will reveal them at a later date but all I can say is that I love them. FI says I get the other half on my presents during the week so that excites me. Overall I had a GREAT BIRTHDAY!

My 30th Birthday Dinner

Lastnite FI had a surprise birthday dinner for me at my fav resturant. I had such a good time! Here are some of the pics.

I HEART CHECKS!

So we were super productive over the weekend with the exception of the car breaking down but that is a different story. We booked:

1. Baker for the cupcakes and cakes


2. DJ


3. Paid on Photog and Venue ( little less than half left)


4. DIY projects started


5. STDs order completed


6. Found someone to make dresses

Engage-a-versary!!!

A year ago we today we got in engaged (story here). How quickly times flies. It seems like just yesterday now in less than 9 months we will be husband and wife. Wowzers! So much as happened over the past year and I feel so blessed to have lived this exprience.

Blast from the past

At the hotel before engagement

Right after the engagement leaving the zoo!

My my my...

As you know I am on the search for bridesmaid dresses and NO I have not decided on my dress yet! But I wanted to start putting time into finding theirs. So I found this dress that I LOVED online well when I saw the dress in-store I wasn't so fancied by it so I then keep searching and I came across these beauties and when I say that I heart them I mean IT!!!

This is the color that I have been looking for! But I would like a plum and/or deep teal sash!

I absolutely adore this one!!!!

Sorry for the small pics it's the best I could get.They have all my colors which is great BUT I don't know how expensive they are. I have to contact the bridal salon tomorrow! I hope they are affordable! I'm going to do more research online! Cross your fingers for me!

Check!.....

i think i have found a make-up artist for the wedding attendants and myself. i am excited i met with her last week and i have a consult on monday so i look forward to that....hopefully this goes well and i can book her...yay....

here is some of her work

OMG! my hair

so for those of you who have not noticed i have locs. i have been natural for about 10 years and this oct makes 9 so recently i found a new stylist that i really liked and so i decided to get my hair color touched up.... this past summer i dyed my hair like a reddish color b/c i was bored with them so anyway i let my new stylist dye and it came out EFFED UP! i mean i looked like ms carrot head! really! well i went the next day and she hooked me up so needless to say i am back now! my sylist and me and i know this is a bad shot!

have you ever had a dye job go bad?

dressing up

me and 2 of my 'maids went dress shopping this weekend and can i say that bridal salons are pushy. 1 place started pulling out wedding gowns and i informed the salesperson that i wasn't shopping for gowns at the moment... boy this wedding industry sure is overzealous... i mean seriously.... anyway back to them so remember the dress that i loved loved loved and posted here about well...here is the pics with the girls in them and note that the salon didn't have their sizes so we made it work. :)

this is my fav dress now obviously it won't fit like these! the samples in the store was 2 sizes to small for the girls but they were troopers and squezzed in them for me... thanks ladies i apperciate it....XOXOXO

this is my second choice but the manufacturer doesn't make the color that i need and i sort of feel like the balloon look is a bit played but the dress and fun and flirty.

this is dress #3 its cute but i want the 'puffy' bottom but the back is cute!

these are the 2 potentials as of right now! i loved the way the purplish one looked online and the girls but its hard to estimate considering it wasn't there true size. the dress is not forgiving so it shows everything and they would have to be confident in order to pull it off. at this point i think i will select 2 options for them to choose from.. the search continues....