Less than 365 days to go!

Okay, so I'm a little late on this post, but we are officially a year (360 days to be exact) away from the BIG DAY! Guess who's EXCITED?!?!? This girl! :)

To celebrate our future nuptials, Brian and I decided to have a special date night on October 13th! We went to dinner at Em Chama's (which Brian likes to call the "meat Christmas" restaurant) and it was delicious! After stuffing our bellys full, we embarked on the journey to find our halloween costumes. Originally we wanted to be Batman and Robin, but after a failed costume we decided on Maverick and Goose from Top Gun. I must say that we look pretty legit, especially in the aviators! Pics to come...promise! After finding our costumes we needed to waste time before our movie...so of course we wandered around Wal*Mart! While there, Brian happened to find the Farmer's Almanac for 2012....we immediately turned to October of 2012 to see what the future will hold for the weather on our special day.

It said "Oct. '12. Temperatures near normal and precipitation near normal.Temperatures should average from 59 in north to 67 in south. Coolest October 4-8, 16-20, and 29-31; warmest October 2-3, 12-15, and 23-27. The best chance for showers and thunderstorms Ocotber 3-6, 15-18, and 28-30. The storm at month's end will likely be the strongest. It turns very cool at the end of the month."



Most people aren't too concerned about the weather...but our ceremony is going to be held outside, so knowing that our date of October 13, 2012 falls into the warmest and driest category is pretty awesome and puts me at ease! A little bit anyways....haha.

After exploring at Wal*Mart, Brian and I went to see "What's Your Number?", a romantic comedy of sorts. It turned out to be rather cute and really funny....so all in all, we had a great year-to-the-wedding-celebration! 

Alright, well now I must brag on Brian just a little bit because he is just so incredibly good to me! I came home a couple weekends ago to find a surprise on our kitchen counter. There was a very sweet card from Bri and at the bottom it said to enjoy some chocolate flowers in the fridge. I was curious what he meant by chocolate...but at the same time, I didn't care! Who doesn't love surprise chocolate flowers!?!

He had taken oreos, kit kats, and reese's peanut butter cups and made me flowers out of them! I think he's so stinking cute...and defnitely a keeper! Oh how I love him!

The next couple of weeks are keeping us busy with work and soccer...especially for Brian. He is taking his team to Joplin, Missouri to compete at the State Tourney! I'm very proud of him and excited to see how the team plays! There is a light at the end of the tunnel...or at least at the end of this VERY busy month!

Brian and I are planning a trip to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida from November 1st through November 6th! We will be visiting Brian's Papou and will be soaking up the sun, laying on the warm beaches, reading, working out, eating, and just enjoying a slower paced life for a week. I am so looking forward to this break and the time that we'll get to spend together. With working two jobs and having Brian work and coach, we haven't gotten to see each other much. I'm very thankful for the occupations, friends, family, and opportunity for B to coach....but it's always nice to get away and re-charge your batteries, ya know? This is also a bit of an early birthday present for Brian...he'll be 27 on November 12th!!! YAY for birthdays and YAY for Florida! :)

Stay tuned for another blog post soon...we've gotten quite a bit done over the past few weeks and I can't wait to share it all with you! But for now, I'm off to catch up on my Grey's!!! Sweet Dreams Everyone!

~Amanda~



Engagement Party!!!

It's been a while since I've blogged, but I finally had a day off to blog. YAY! I wanted to be sure to write about our lovely engagement party that Brian's Grandpa and Grandma hosted for us. It was held in Weston, Missouri at their home which is also the Weston Bed and Breakfast! Here's a pic:

It is the most amazing house and it was perfect for all of our family members to gather at. Our families hadn't met yet, so this was a rather big night for me and Brian. We were both excited...and I was, umm...a little nervous! lol.

Of course it all went extremely well! No one got lost or said anything embarrassing....that I know of! ;) Here are a few pics from the night:

Brian and I in front of our beautiful tort!

It was a work of art!

There was A LOT of food!

Of course we had an awesome display of pictures starting with baby pics up until now. Brian was the cutest little kid...and I was told that I look exactly the same! haha.

We had a picture frame for our guests to sign and thank you cards for them to take!

The "oh~so~famous prom pose" pic!

We had a very sweet and genuine toast from Randy.

Then it was time for the "how well do you know the couple" game. Our moms both came close, but my mom won by 1 question!

My Grammy and Papa!

They gave us matching t-shirts. For as long as I can remember they've always worn matching t-shirts out in public. It's so they can find each other if they're ever separated! I've always told them that when they pass away I'd like to have their collection of t-shirts so that I can wear them with my husband when we get older. They decided we needed to start our collection now! Such a cute gift!

Brian's Grandpa Richard and Grandma Dorothy who hosted the party for us! Thank you so much!

My Cousin Lane, Aunt Kelli, Uncle Chris, Uncle Jason, Grandma Linda, and Dad with Brian and I at the party.

Bride, Groom, and parents!

Grandpa Richard, Brian, and I after we asked him to be the officiant at our wedding! He was thrilled!

Tempting...very, very tempting! lol.

oh, Love Sweet Love.

As you can see it was a great party filled with many people we care for and love. It was such a great feeling to have all of those people in one place celebrating our engagement. We are so blessed to have such supportive, kind, and loving families. Thank you to everyone who came out!

~Amanda~

I said Yes to the Dress!!!

Okay, so I didn't make it all the way to Kleinfeld's in New York to say "Yes to the Dress", but I did find an awesome store in Shawnee, KS called Bridal Extraordinaire. I have just been doing research trying to find the different shapes, styles, fabrics, colors, etc that look good on my body. I originally thought I might want a ballgown style due to the fact that I dreamed about a princess-y dress to get married in since I was a child. I've always been drawn to them in magazines, however as my wedding became a reality it came time to get serious.

I started my dress journey at The Gown Gallery in Kansas City, Mo. I tried on three dress that I liked while shopping there. I tried on all Maggie Sottero dresses, but my favorite there were the Sandrina and the Victoriana.

Sandrina

Victoriana

Then, a couple weeks later, I traveled to Bridal Solutions in Lee's Summit. I tried on the previous two again and then found the other dress that had been on my mind. It is also a Maggie Sottero dress...see a pattern here?!? It's called the Prestyn and looks like this:

Prestyn

Then a dress caught my eye and it was completely different from all three of these dresses. It was a by a different designer named Casablanca and it's name was the 1995.

1995

After seeing the beautiful mermaid lace gown, I was started to change my mind about what I thought I had wanted afterall. I started researching mermaid lace gowns and came across some REAL beauties!!! Here are a few of the ones I liked:

So, as you can tell, I've fallen madly and deeply in love with lace!!! I have also figured out that I really like the mermaid/trumpet style of a dress! Those styles of dresses really take well to my curves, which I love. I ended up calling around to a billion stores asking for one specific designer! I was dead set on trying something on so I would KNOW wither or not I could really truly fall in love with this gown. I made an appt at Bridal Extraordinaire and wouldn't you know....they had the exact two dresses I wanted to try on! Even more awesome is that if I ordered a dress on my first visit I'd get 15% off my dress...I was REALLY hoping to find THE one on this visit.

And guess what?!?! I did! And here it is....









HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You didn't REALLY think I'd post it on here, did you? ;)

Alas, I found the perfect dress to wear on my perfect day marrying the perfect man...ahhh, I love perfection! lol. Now, of course I realize that I've ordered it a tad bit early, but you can't beat the perfect dress...especially on sale!

I plan to have a "Reveal Night" with my close loved ones once my dress arrives! I want my mom, Grandmas, Dad, Sarah(s), Maria, Daphne, and G-ma Dorothy to be there if possible. It will be a fun evening showing off my dress and perhaps doing dinner afterwards. I love that I'll be able to share a special moment with all of them!

YAY for saying Yes to the Dress!

~Amanda~

Love to Love the Love Songs!

I have a few songs that I'm currently listening to on repeat...all three make me think of Brian. Of course, we don't have a song that's "our song" quite yet. We have certain songs that make us think of eachother, however they are fast and silly songs like "Forever" by Chris Brown or "Black and Yellow" by Wiz Khalifa. Clearing these are not "first dance" kind of songs, but they are just examples of what kind of fun stuff we like to jam to in the car.

This is a bit of a random post, but I can't get these songs out of my head tonight and felt the need to share them with you. Whomever you are that actually read this blog! LOL. ;)

Take a listen to each one. All three are potential wedding music to be used at some point either during our ceremony and/or reception! Enjoy!

Song #1: "Home" by The Magnetic Zeros.
Cover done by Gibson2128 on Youtube

http://youtu.be/5uCM5uJUNJQ

Lyrics:

"Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my Ma & Pa
Not the way that I do love you

Holy roly, me, oh my, you’re the apple of my eye
Girl, I’ve never loved one like you

Man, oh man, you’re my best friend, I scream it to the nothingness
There ain’t nothin’ that I need

Well, hot & heavy, pumpkin pie, chocolate candy, Jesus Christ
There ain’t nothin’ please me more than you

Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is wherever I’m with you
La la la la, take me Home
Baby, I’m coming Home

I’ll follow you into the park, through the jungle, through the dark
Girl, I’ve never loved one like you

Moats & boats & waterfalls, alley ways & pay phone calls
I’ve been everywhere with you

That’s true

We laugh until we think we’ll die, barefoot on a summer night
Nothin’ new is sweeter than with you

And in the sticks we’re running free like it’s only you and me
Geez, you’re something to see.

Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is wherever I’m with you
La la la la, take me Home
Baby, I’m coming Home"

Song #2: "You are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ3xTjvj9tw

Lyrics:

"Baby
It's been a long day, baby
Things ain't been going my way
And now i need you here
To clear my mind all the time

And baby
The way you move me, it's crazy
It's like you see right through me
And make it easier
Believe me, you don't even have to try

Oh, because
You are the best thing
(you're the best thing)
You are the best thing
(you're the best thing, baby)
You are the best thing
(you're the best thing, oooh)
Ever happened to me

Baby
We've come a long way
And baby
You know i hope and i pray
That you believe me
When i say this love will never fade away

Oh, because
You are the best thing
(you're the best thing)
You are the best thing
(you're the best thing, baby)
You are the best thing
(you're the best thing, oooh)
Ever happened to me

Both of us had no love before
(to come on promising like a spring to walk on out the door)?
Our words are strong and our hearts are kind
Let me tell you just exactly what's on my mind

You are the best thing
(you're the best thing)
You are the best thing
(you're the best thing, baby)
You are the best thing
(you're the best thing, oooh)
Ever happened to me"

Song #3: "Love Never Fails" by Brandon Heath

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nQy-aP_Koo

Lyrics:

"Love is not proud
Love does not boast
Love after all
Matters the most

Love does not run
Love does not hide
Love does not keep
Locked inside

Love is the river that flows through
Love never fails you

Love will sustain
Love will provide
Love will not cease
At the end of time

Love will protect
Love always hopes
Love still believes
When you don’t

Love is the arms that are holding you
Love never fails you

When my heart won’t make a sound
When I can’t turn back around
When the sky is falling down
Nothing is greater than this
Greater than this

Love is right here
Love is alive
Love is the way
The truth the life

Love is the river than flows through
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to
Love never fails you"


Awww, all of these make my heart happy! Are there any Love songs that you Love to Love?!?


~Amanda~

Mason Jars!

Hey gang!

So, I've started my collection of mason jars and I'm very excited at the results so far. My mom  has found two boxes of them at a thrift store for 20 cents a piece! They range from large to small in size and have a variety of designs on them. I'm also fortunate enough to have a friend that is going to give me 25 or 30 mason jars that are left over from using them at her wedding! I'm so thankful to have great family and friends that are willing to help out and be so generous! Here are some pics of the ones I have so far:

A few of the smaller jars. Love the details with the designs on these.

The medium sized jars.

The large mason jars.

All of the sizes put together...there are probably 40 total jars in my collection so far. These are just a few of them.

These are pictures of the different things that I want to use my mason jars for when decorating!

I'd like to use them as vases.

I think it would be neat to put flowers in them. Better yet, cranberries and floating candles!

Of course, I want to take on the DIY project of making them into lanterns! :)

I absolutely LOVE this idea...I'm going to ask our families to contribute a pic of them on their wedding day and display them in mason jars, or even vintage frames! TBD, however I think having the neat older wedding photos will add to my vintage vibe. Also, I may display some photos of us in mason jars!

I think this is a super nifty idea...using mason jars to hold the flowers that decorate the aisle!

It would be an amazing thing to give out apple butter to our guests in small mason jars that says "Spread the Love. Brian and Amanda. 10/13/12"

Oh mason jars, how I loveeeeeeeeeeee thee! There are so many amazing things you can do with them to give your wedding that extra special touch. I can't wait to collect more and try out some of these ideas myself!

If you have any mason jars or know of anyone that would like to get rid of them, please let me know! I'll gladly take them off their hands!

~Amanda~









The Search for the Perfect Dress Begins!

Okay, so I realize that I still have 514 days until our wedding (thanks countdown on knot.com), but it's NEVER too early to start looking for the perfect dress! I've had a few ideas in mind of things that I think I'd like. Thanks to TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress" I've been able to see different styles on a variety of women and have narrowed down the top two styles that I think would look best on me; Mermaid/Trumpet and Ballgown.

My mom and one of my bridesmaids, Sarah, took a couple hours and went to our first shop. Now, just to clarify, this was my first visit EVER! I really want certain people to be there when I actually choose my dress, but first I wanted to find out what looked good on my body before dragging 5 or 6 other individuals dress shopping. Makes sense, right?

I chose to go to The Gown Gallery on 19th and Main in downtown KC, Mo. It is in a loft style building and looks absolutely beautiful with all of the gorgeous dresses in it! I was very excited and nervous at the same time. The consultant was nice though and put me at ease...for a little bit anyways. I described what I was wanting for my dress. I told her about our venue being outdoors and how I'm going for a romantic, fall, rustic, vintage, and country chic kind of feel with the decor and how I'd like to try mermaid dresses and ballgowns to see what I really like. I am open to lace, light beading, detailing, corset, and ruching. Due to the fact that I am keeping the dress I choose a secret (mainly b/c I don't want Brian to see me in it before I walk down the aisle), here are a variety of pictures of dresses that I'm drawn to. Two of which I actually tried on at the store...

Dress #1

Dress #2

Dress #3

Dress #4

Dress #5

Dress #6

Dress #7

Dress #8

So, as you can see it's going to be a tough choice! I really love all of these dresses for different reasons...and in all honesty, I wish I could buy all of them! haha. And, of course, there are/will be more dresses that I like, but this is just a taste of dresses that I've found so far. My experience at The Gown Gallery was rather positive, but my consultant was a bit too opinionated for me. It was a lot to take in and her comments weren't always very helpful. But overall, I enjoyed myself and left with a lot more clairty on what I am looking for. I will probably try a few other dress boutiques and shop around...especially since I have so much time. If you have any suggestions of places to go, or have opinions on any of these dresses please feel free to share! This is one of my favorite parts of a wedding...so I'm sure there will be other blog posts about dresses! Yay for starting the hunt to find the perfect dress!


~Amanda~

And the winner is....

WESTON RED BARN FARM!!!!!

Brian and I went last week to look at the Red Barn Farm in Weston, Missouri. We were thrilled to speak to the owner Steve Fry about the possibility of having our wedding there. It proved to be everything we were looking for and more. I am so excited to marry Brian in such a unique and beautiful setting! Here are some pics I took while we were there:

Some of the gorgeous countryside.

I can't wait to see it when all of the leaves have changed!

Behind the barn is the apple orchard that we will get married in. You walk through the apple orchard and then there is a clearing for your ceremony site. LOVE IT!

This is the back of the barn where the reception will be held. Please IGNORE the tractors. They will not be attending the wedding! ;)

This is the entrance into the back of the barn. It is very open and has amazing views of the farm. Once again, please ignore the tractors and imagine a rustic, vintage, fall decor in the gorgeous barn!

I am 100% in love with these twinkle lights on the ceiling. I'm thinking this could be potential for the head table and dance floor area...not for sure yet though.

These are some of the chairs they have there. I really liked the brown ones with the arm rests! Very vintage, but I also love the white and brown folding chairs too! Much better than the typical metal folding chairs...Brian laughed when I took this pic, but I feel it's important to do in order to help me remember it all! lol.

This is a really neat and very old piano that is at the venue. Surprisingly it is still in decent shape and even in tune. I plan on using it to either hold pictures on top or perhaps be staged as the cake table or hold the wedding favors! Oh the possibilities!

More of the pretty countryside at the farm. You can see the hayride tractor in this picture too!

As you can see, I am absolutely in love with every last detail and idea I have for this venue. I have a complete notebook full of decoration ideas...mason jars, pumpkins, candles, vintage frames, lights, lace tablecloths, etc, etc, etc!

I can't WAIT to get started! :)

~Amanda~