Flora

These arrangements effortlessly exude elegance and the perception of perfume-like scent. The colors don't match my palette but something about the spirit of these flowers makes me want to explore the idea further...

Images Courtesy Style Unveiled:

Just for Fun

Uh-oh Marc... haha! This picture makes me laugh.
Image Courtesy Bride & Beyond

Engagement Session

I'm so thrilled to finally share our engagement photos with everyone. Marc and I had so much fun taking these with Janelle Ayala of Shutterbug Photography. If you can believe it, we were actually her first e-session ever. I'm convinced that Janelle is quickly becoming El Paso's new *it* photographer. I'll be working on getting these posted on Facebook soon. Enjoy :)

Hopeless Romantic

Two weeks ago, my friends/M.O.H's Sarah & Amber accompanied me to Ella Blu to see my dress in person. To say we had fun is an understatement. Sarah cracked us up when she just "had to" try on this cathedral veil that I had deemed "way too traditional" for my taste. This picture makes me laugh. Sarah and I have praying for our future husbands ever since we were 14 years old so who knows, maybe I passed her some good luck. 

I'll Be There Shortly...

I love the current trend of slipping out of your gown and into a slinky little number at the end of the night. These short dresses look perfectly comfortable and flattering for a fun exit.

Images Courtesy March 2011 issue of Brides Magazine

Drinks, Dancing & Dessert Part 2

Some time ago, I mentioned that Marc & I were considered having an after-dinner party for our wedding. As for the menu? We're thinking a variety of unique, delectable treats & plenty to sip on as well. While surfing around the blogosphere I came across a few ideas which were out of the box and simply adorable. I wouldn't do all of these at once, but one or two may make for a delightful surprise.

S'Mores- Courtesy Love & Lavender

Cake Pops- Courtesy The Bride Suite

And just for fun..... 

Oreo Cake- Courtesy Bride & Beyond

I said "Yes" to the Dress!

Perhaps it was all of that royal inspiration floating around this weekend, but after my Saturday morning mother-daughter coffee session, I told my mom that I had made an appointment for us to visit Ella Blu. I hadn't done too much shopping for dresses until this point, but for some reason, I was in the mood to look around.

I had visited Kara's Bridal and became friends with the fabulous owner, Kara Heist, but I had yet to find that instant attraction to a dress. While, I didn't have any particular expectations for Saturday beyond getting a feel for what Ella Blu had to offer, the wedding-dress fairies obviously had different plans in mind.

I picked out approximately ten dresses to try on. While my mom was pushing for something made of satin, I knew El Paso's the summer heat during an outdoor wedding wouldn't be kind to this gentle fabric.

Ella Blu's owner, Sohpia, opted to show me a dress which had just arrived the night before and which she pronounced as "her favorite dress in the store." Our amazing consultant Laura, quickly added it to the collection of dresses I had been putting aside.

When my mother and I entered the dressing room, I knew we were in for some work. Getting in and out of those things is no easy task and poor Laura must have biceps of steel to be lifting and tying those gorgeous gowns all day.

When asked which dress I would like to try on first, I had no particular preference. None of them had caught my eye in their sheer covers and I couldn't really tell what they looked like yet. Because of my own indecision, I went with Sophia's suggestion.

The dress was made by Martina Liana. It was the first dress I tried on, and it was perfection. 


They always say that when you find the dress, "you just know." I never believed that saying and on Saturday, I was completely humbled by its reality. I tried on the others, but none of them sat so perfectly or matched my own interests like dress #1. I couldn't take my eyes off of it.

I want to avoid saying too much about the dress because of the ever-so-slight possibility that Marc wonders what I am doing typing away on this blog all of the time and decides to take a peek. What I can tell you, however, is the following:

• I wanted strapless dress, but my dress has shoe string straps.
• I wanted a mermaid silhouette, but my dress has a dropped waist. 
• I wanted a little lace, but my dress has zero lace. 
• The dress is made of raw silk and organza. Its dramatic and it is *me* 

My dress was nothing I expected and it was everything more. Overall, though, I can't say enough about the wonderful help I've had in finding a dress both from Kara, Sophia, my friend Sarah & my mom. I can't wait for Marc to see it. <3

The Royal Wedding

I don't think it would be possible for me to be "obsessed" with weddings and forget to mention the royal I-Do's. I love the new Princess' Grace-Kelly inspired dress and her modestly simple bouquet. The only flaw in this fairy-tale wedding would have to be the once-handsome Prince's growing bald spot. Other than that, sheer perfection.*

Engagement Fiesta!!

A few months ago I felt particularly inspired when I saw this Spanish Bridal Fashion photo shoot. While I knew that the theme wouldn't necessarily play well with the vision for our wedding, I definitely wanted to find a way to incorporate some of the ideas into our engagement party.  The idea for an engagement "fiesta" naturally came next. We'll be celebrating, primarily with family, on May 6th at my mother's home. I'll be sure to post pictures of how I tweaked some of the ideas from the photo shoot to fit our playful theme.  Oh, and I can't forget to note that you're getting a second sneak peek at our engagement photos by Shutterbug Photography. More on that to come....

Baby, You're a Firework

I've mentioned my interest in having sparklers at our wedding before. Recently, though, Marc and I have also discussed the possibility of incorporating fireworks within our reception. The example below, only further convinces me of their beauty and excitement. This is definitely an idea in the works....

 Michelle Turner Photography

Engagement Photos Sneak Peek

Our engagement shoot with Shutterbug Photography was such a blast. Here's a fun shot to give you a sneak peek. I can't wait to show everyone the final product. This picture is just the tip of the iceberg :

 

Just for Fun

This photograph gives a whole new meaning to "Army Wives." I can't get over what a gorgeous shot this is, even if it is just for fun...


Image Courtesy Vogue UK May 2011

Pick Your Seat

I'm a little on the fritz about whether or not this layout is cute or cheesy. I've opted to steer clear of the stress of seating charts and & assigned seats though, so I'm up for new ideas. Whats your take?

Images courtesy Emmaline Bride

Cake Boss

I am so excited to share that this last week, a dear friend/ knower of all things wedding/ and owner of Belle: The Magazine, Alex, asked me to take part her upcoming event: The Wedding Show: El Paso's Only Luxury Bridal Show. 

My task? To serve as a judge for the city's upcoming "Cake Design" competition.

Umm... yes please!

Now, not only do I have a major sweet tooth, but I also have serious wedding fever. I can't wait to see what El Paso's cake artists and master bakers have in store for us. I am so thrilled to be involved in selecting El Paso's "Ultimate Cake Designer."

The Wedding Show: The Ultimate in Bridal takes place in El Paso on Sunday May 22, 2011 at Butterfield Trail Golf Club. If you are interested in attending, the show will also feature competitions in Bridal Tablescape and Photography which I can guarantee will be OMG-inducing.

Floating Bubbles

How gorgeous are these bulbs when arranged together to look like floating bubbles? The event designer placed a airy pink flower inside of one to give each accent an extra sweet touch. While I'm not planning anything like this for my wedding, I think these would make give any outdoor soiree a soft and romantic feel.

Courtesy WeddingsFresh Blog

Garden Wedding Details

I saw this pretty Napa Valley Wedding on Style Me Pretty today and I am swooning. Can it be May 2012 already?....

A Love Note

As a writer, I'm falling in love with this cake. My mind is wandering as I imagine all of the beautiful words that could come together on these tiers of sweetness. Scripture, lasting love quotes, or our own personal notes could wrap around these layers forever. This one is definitely in the running to be our cake of choice.

Little Miss-Match

I had a little bit of inspiration yesterday regarding mismatched bridesmaids dresses when I saw these enticing pieces from ASOS. This compilation came together after I spent way too much time gawking at this online boutique. I would love to see my bridesmaids looking this fab especially since these dresses strike me as those that could be worn again.

Drinks, Dancing & Dessert

As we all know, wedding cuisine has a reputation for being particularly uninteresting while at the same time being extremely expensive. It hasn't taken us long to decide to opt out serving a boring dinner and instead offer our guests something a little different- a cocktail reception.

There will be plenty of room for champagne & chocolate but thankfully we'll be omitting concerns over minute  details like 'the texture of the rice'. In order to accommodate everyone's need-to-eat, we'll be pushing our start time back so as not to conflict with dinner time while also providing a fix for that sweet tooth with plenty of desserts and sweet bubbly options.

Dress Love: Johanna Johnson

I can't help but swoon over these vintage-inspired dresses from Johanna Johnson's Templar 2011 collection. Mermaid silhouette? Not exactly. But oh-so dreamy....