Honeymoon Wear

My body is not normal. I'm one size on bottom and a much bigger size on top (because of my girls). I always knew that I would probably receive lots of bridal shower gifts that I couldn't actually wear because I need support.

Never fear: Frederick's of Hollywood has an online registry! This has truly saved the day and probably my honeymoon wear!

The registry is free and easy! Simply register with an online account and begin picking out your gear. You can choose you own color and size (I vary in different types of lingerie). The registry is easily searchable by your last name or event date. Registry information can tastefully be included on the shower invitation. . . because I will not be posting this on the wedding website alongside Pampered Chef! (There is also a wish list that you can privately create to send to your special someone.)

Amore and I are having a joint lingerie shower hosted by our sorority in March and then separate showers with our girlfriends from home before our weddings. The registry serves as a starting place for those who will "shower" us with gifts. Our friends can check out our registries and see what styles we like. I also listed my sizes in case they wanted to look elsewhere.

Prices are very reasonable, which is a must for many of our sorority sisters who are still in college. Check out this chemise for only $20!

Have you ever created a lingerie registry? Where are your favorite places to shop for "sexy little things?"

--Love

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Today is Fat Tuesday, which is the day that precedes Ash Wednesday. I've never celebrated Fat Tuesday before, but B is a big fan of Lent. We're planning on eat pancakes to celebrate (sometime after what will hopefully be the last basketball game of the season). Tomorrow we will attend the Ash Wednesday service together at our church and then observe Lent for the next 40 days.

I love Jesus, but I slack when it comes to Lent. Every year I give up something and never seem to stick with it. Since I'm preparing to make a big commitment I've decided I will also commit myself to Lent this season.

What am I giving up?

• I'm choosing to give up french fries (because they're not good for me and believe me it will be a sacrifice).

More importantly, what will I do?

• I will complain less. This is one of the happiest times of my life, yet I find myself constantly complaining about my job and the little things.


• I will follow my diet. I've seen some results, but I know there would be more to brag about if I were more committed.


• I will love people more.

What are you giving up for Lent?

--Love

Un-Brides?

I'm engaged and couldn't be happier. I'm planning the wedding of my dreams to a man who's more than my dreams.

Lately I've had this overwhelming peace that everything is how it should be. Sure, I'm not head over heels for my job and dropping the pounds isn't as easy as I'd hoped, but all is well. In my Valentine's Day card, B wrote about how the pre-wedding buzz made lots of people nervous, but it made him excited and hopeful. Even yesterday despite his flu, he told me that he's been thinking about how excited he is to marry me.

And I'm excited too. For as long as I can remember (long before B was even in my picture) I've been thinking about and planning my wedding. Now that the planning is real I'm surprisingly not stressed and at peace almost all the time. This is what I have waited for: to marry a man that makes me proud and who brings hope for all the days ahead.

The movie Bride Wars showed two different couples who responded to planning a wedding very differently. In the end one didn't make it. The past couple of weeks I feel like I keep hearing about couples that plan for their wedding, but never make it to the marriage.

In my hometown, an engaged acquaintance's (who I'd talked wedding planning with many times) fiance called off their October wedding on Valentine's Day. She had anxiously been making plans and he simply got "cold feet" and told her he couldn't do it a la Big from Sex and The City.

My favorite wedding blog, WeddingBee, recently had two of its bloggers call of their weddings. Both Miss Fondue and Miss Snapdragon called off their upcoming weddings just months before they were to walk down the aisle. My heart breaks for all these women. I can't imagine calling off the wedding, but I know that being sure about marriage is the most important thing.

I feel lucky because I feel like preparing for our future together has brought B and I closer. The preparations are starting to make things real, which makes us excited and more ready than ever to be husband and wife.

Have you ever known anyone to call off the wedding? Has wedding planning brought you and your FI closer together?

Deals of the Day

While it continues to snow here in Southwest Virgina I find myself stuck inside and itching to shop. This proves difficult when the greatest shopping my hometown offers is a Dollar General store. I've done more Internet shopping since moving home and wedding planning than ever before! I'm not gonna lie I get a rush when the mail arrives with my purchases.

This week I received the first of my Pre-Wedding Dresses! My white dress from Target for only $9.99 works well. It's very simple and a little big (whoot to Weight Watchers and Jillan "kick my butt" Michaels), but I plan to add a sash to spice it up and it will be perfect!

Goody's Family Clothing stores (regionally based) are closing and all stores are liquidating their assets. This weekend I stopped by to score some deals and found a cute pair of Ashley Judd (who has a charity clothing line) ivory high heels for just $15. I plan to wear colorful bridal shoes, but just in case these shoes were a steal! (Since Goody's is closing there are no web pictures to be found.)

Today's deal of the day comes from Shutterfly. Amore took our fabulous engagement pictures and our first round of STD's are in the mail, but I had yet to print our photos. Shutterfly is offering 50 free 4x6 prints when you use coupon code 50FREEPRINTS. I got copies of all our engagement photos to put in an album (including shipping) for $6! The coupon expires February 23.

Shutterfly also offers lots of "photo gifts." Right now you can also get 30 photo address labels for $4.79, which would be great for shower invites or thank you letters. Notebooks personalized with photos could be great BM gifts or used for all your planning inspiration for $10.39. I think I might take advantage of these personal deals!

Where have you found your latest deal? How have you used photo printing in your wedding planning?

--Love

We knew this was coming

USPS postage rates are increasing as of May 11, 2009.

On May 11 the cost to mail a first-class one-ounce letter will be $0.44 instead of the current $0.42. That means that all of us who are budgeting for postage will have to recalculate. Luckily for me, our invitations will go out before the May 11 change. Not so lucky for Love, who will have to adjust her budget.

Or

Forever stamps will be honored...well, forever. So, if you stock up on the not-so-wedding-but-my-gosh-I'll-deal-to-save-the-money! Liberty Bell stamps, you can pay $0.42 now, and mail first class after the rate increase. Now Love and I will begin figuring out if we can get her invitation suite out to her guests in a standard-sized envelope weighing in at one ounce or less. We're crafty, and we're frugal, and we will get this done!

Here are more details on the increase:

Large envelopes (measuring over 6.125 inches by 11.5 inches) are $0.88 for the first ounce

Parcels, first ounce are $1.22

Each additional ounce is $0.17

Postcards are $0.28 (compared to $0.27 currently)

(all domestic rates)

International and specialty rates are also increasing, of course, and you can find out more here.

Will the increase in postage affect your budget?

-Amore'

B's Other Women

For the past few months there have been other women in Benjamin's life. That's right--not just one, but 12.

No, he's not a polygamist (although we do love watching Big Love). He's a JV girls basketball coach!

Benjamin has always wanted to be a coach and so when the girls on the team who were also his students begged him to coach he gave in. He's a baseball kind of guy and hadn't played basketball since middle school. It's been interesting to watch Benjamin learn about basketball throughout the season. He reads books about coaching and plays close attention during all games.

His girls love him! We got engaged during their pre-season and they are always excited to be updated on our wedding plans. Apparently he even showed a few of the players the ring before he proposed!

Benjamin is such a good coach (if I do say so myself). The season started out rocky and he didn't have a lot to work with, but it's been so fun to watch the team (and coach) improve throughout the season. I keep the score book so I'm right on the sidelines with them and I'm not gonna lie I beam with pride.

Last night his team, who finally has a winning record, won their district game in the last seconds of overtime and will now be in a playoff game to go to the district championship! It was one of the most exciting games! Watching him coach last night I had one of those moments where I just couldn't believe that I get to marry him. Wow. I am so proud of him and can't wait to spend life: both wins and losses with him.

Do you have moments when you are proud of your significant other?

--Love

P.S. Go Tigers!

Meet Love's Maids

There was never any question who I would ask to serve as my BM's. All natural, and drama free, choices. I promised a "Meet the Maids" post ages ago so allow me to introduce you to my ladies:




Maid of Honor


My younger sister Dana will serve as my MOH. She's my "sisterfriend" and we've been through it all together from fights to once dating brothers we've managed to stay friends despite being near complete opposites. She's athletic, skinny, crafty, hip, and cool. I'm none of those things. There are only 19 months difference in our ages (what was mom thinking!?), but I am proud to have her by my side--plus she's also a professional bridesmaid!




The Roommate


Lauren and I met on the Internet when we were in high school. We had an online class together and then through e-mails decided to room together during college. We spent four years in one room together and became the best of friends. Lauren is someone that is an amazing listener and I know I can always go to for advice. She has an old soul! We always tell people I put the spice in her life and she puts the sane in mine.




Best Friend Since Birth



Brittney and I have been best friends for as long as either of us can remember. Our moms are best friends and it has always been a given that we would be too. There's something powerful about a friend that knows everything you've been through and where you come from. I served as her MOH a couple of years ago. She just moved hours away from me, which has made the wedding planning different without her. . .








The Encourager


I think everyone should have a friend like Tabitha. She's my encourager and helps me find perspective when I start to get too bent out of shape. I served as her support system through beauty pageants and her wedding now it's her turn! Brittney, Tabitha, and I made our own club in the second grade: BLT and have been best friends ever since. Tabitha will be a doctor of pharmacy by the wedding!






Future Sister In Law


Rachel is B's 13 year old sister. After four boys in B's family Rachel came along as the only girl. She's fabulous, crafty, and teaches me something new every time we're around one another. I get to share my love of American Girl with her and am so proud to watch her grow up.





Was chosing your BM's an easy choice?

Coming soon: BM's Little Black Dress

--Love

Pre-Wedding Dresses

Ok, so I have my actual wedding dress, but I need so many dresses for wedding related events and activities! B and I are having 3 showers in addition to my sorority shower, bachelorette party, and bridal shower. That's not counting a dress for the rehearsal and to leave the reception in. It sure is a lot, but I'm not complaining!

I've also recently become obsessed with looking "bridal" at these events. I am famous for my love of black clothing. As I type this I'm at work in one of my many black cardigans coupled with a pair of my many black pumps, which is pretty much my staple outfit. Except I'm the bride and I want to wear something that's a little out of character for me. So I've been searching for white clothes, gasp!

Remember I pride myself on sales so my first purchase was a 75% off ivory sleeveless top with pearl and rhinestone accents around the collar from Maurices along with fabulous champagne peeptoe heels. (Sorry no online shopping for this store.) Bachelorette or bridal shower outfit #1-check!

While the search for the perfect "getaway" white dress might continue I found a strong (and cheap) contender this morning. Meet contestant #1 coming to you from Target.com. The dress is only $9.99 so even if it doesn't take home the crown it's still worth it and I can put a black cardigan over it :-)

For all you bargain finders out there Isaac Mizrahi's dresses are on super cheap sale online and it's worth checking it out even if you aren't trying to be bridal.

Where have you found great dresses? How are you trying to "be bridal"?

--Love