Tis the season for REGISTERING!

"Sarah, you might as well go by yourself?" "It was very stressful!" "That was my least favorite part of wedding planning."  Each of these statements were made by friends regarding preparing for our up and coming registering experience. After much thought and deliberation, we opted to register at Bed, Bath, and Beyond (purely for convenience sake...you're welcome in advance.) and Williams Sonoma (for those "wish list" items.

I'm sure Trey felt like my "nagging bride" mode came in FULL SWING when it came to registetering. I felt like it needed to be done around the holidays...just in case...and he didn't. My main squeeze wanted to wait until January, when we would be....sending invitations, finding/ordering the groom's and groomsman attire, scheduling things for the honeymoon, determining and testing a place for the rehearsal dinner, confirming cake/food/rentals, and well, I'm sure I'm leaving something out. With that said, I pushed....and pushed...and PUSHED to have this done before I went back to school! And thankfully...he caved! :) (I knew there was a reason I was keeping him around!)

So after spending a morning on a Skype date with our friends Meredith and Jason, whom we are going to visit during our honeymoon, and purchasing the plane tickets for our honeymoon (which will leave me living like a gypsy for the next five weeks until our next payday!), we headed on our ready to grab scan guns and have a field day! After 2 1/2 hours between BB&B and Williams Sonoma, we had a whooping 38 things on our registry. Much to the dismay of the Williams Sonoma woman who promptly informed us that it was necessary we add more the registry and think of our guests who would be purchasing these said presents. Now, I will say, after over 3 years of living together, having a man who loves to cook...there simply was not and is not much that we need. So, we got some extras...towels, sheets, etc...and we've selected a few replacement items...pots and pans, silverware, etc...and we added a few new items, such as an ice cream/frozen yogurt maker (perhaps not the best idea for someone with lactose intolerance) and a fondue set (cha-ching), and the best part...my square plates!!!

Now, I will say, for those of you who are simply "so concerned" about a variety of options, we will be looking online at adding a few items...and we'll also be considering other registry or honeymoon fund options! Don't you fret! :)

After it was all said and done...I can't wait to check back over the next few months and see what fun things we'll have to play with after the wedding! And quite frankly, it wasn't too awful at all! Whew! Next up, invitations!

As the year comes to a close...and our wedding gets closer...

With Christmas now behind me and 2012 coming to an end, I suppose it's time to update! (Even my father pointed out that it has been quite some time.) The honest truth is, there hasn't been too much wedding excitement happening! But, with what has happened, I suppose I can fill you in!

Throughout this process, things have either been incredibily easy, or a bit of a challenge. The venue...a challenge. Photographer...easy! Food...easy! Cakes...EASY (and SCRUMPTIOUS!) Even rentals...easy!

Now where we struggled first was...bridal party. How big is too big? How small is too small? Where do we stop? Who do we choose? How do we select people that 20 years from now are still making a point to be in our lives? Do we have to have an even number? Are we going to hurt the feelings of people we care about? Decisions...Decisions..   With that said, we opted to go with a bridal party of four, two on Trey's side, two on my side. Yes, it's small, however, we felt like perhaps we needed to keep things small, people who were close by, and those who have been an integral part of not just my life or Trey's life, but our life as a couple. So, ladies and gents...I present to you:

Best Man: Brett Deaver

Groomsman: Brian Hales

Man of Honor: Destin Dunham

Bridesmaid: Ellen Forstrrom

As you can see, I'm hoping we picked some winners! :) Trey and I decided that since we were having such a small party we needed to "wine and dine" and hopefully coax them into agreeing to assist us and provide all the help that we are going to need! Now, we haven't had the chance to wine and dine everyone yet, but we were able to take Destin out to a lovely French restaurant in Atlanta called Atmosphere...and when it finally came time to bring up why we were taking him out, he already had things figured out! Apparently, we are nearly as sneaky as we thought! Oh well, turns out Ellen is MUCH MORE oblivious to our sneaky ways as she did not see it coming at all! We met Ellen at one of our favorite tapas restaurants in Crabapple called Sip (thank you Susanne Oreszko!) She was so thrilled, she got in touch with her mom immediately to tell her the news! With that behind us, our next step was bridesmaid dress!

With only one female to shop for, mom and I had a blast! Ellen was like our own personal Barbie doll (thanks for being such a good sport!) In true fashion, Ellen was running late! Thankfully my dress had just arrived and I was able to try it on!!!! (When I tell you...longest 3 minutes of my life while they laced and then zipped it up!) Now, I have to admit (as a sidebar) that I love my dress even more now than when I picked it out! WOO HOO! So after probably 8-10 dresses, we decided on an incredibly fun, yet flattering, tea length, sweetheart neckline with fun pick ups dress in the most gorgeous shade of purple! Err...I believe it's "eggplant" to be exact! Check that off the list! I can't wait to see it on her in the proper color and size!

Now, the most recent (and perhaps longest) discussion/difficult decision we've come across is invitations. We don't want something too expensive as...the majority are going to be thrown away. Yet, we don't want anything that doesn't match the day either. I'm pretty sure together we have looked at more invitations than venues! (And that's hard to top!) Thankfully, one of the ladies I work with has an Etsy store where she and her sister make PAPER PRODUCTS!!!!! As soon as I found that out, I immediately bombarded this poor girl with a slew of questions in hopes of having our dream invitation created rather than found! With that said, we are currently in the process of getting a sample put together and I couldn't be happier! However, once they are all made, we will be looking to recruit those wonderful members of our bridal party to help address, stuff, seal, and stamp all of our gorgeous invitations! For those of you in need of paper products, here is Ashley's store on Etsy! Be sure to take a look!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PalmettoPeaches?ref=shop_sugg

As for our next steps, welp, I've got 2 pages of things to do! Thankfully that dear fiance of mine will be taking an ENTIRE week off in January to start running some errands, getting things locked down, etc! For now we are looking forward to registering tomorrow (I'll be sure to blog about that once we're all done...hopefully with no horror stories!) and enjoy our final 115 days!

A busy Columbus Day!

Okay, let me begin by saying, I realize this is about 2 weeks late. Turns out, life got busy! With that said, Trey and I spent Columbus Day (a furlough day for teachers) hashing out wedding details! So, let's start with the beginning...

Our day started at Judy's house. (Judy is Trey's aunt FYI...) Apparently, she is quite the little event planner (little did I know). So as she pulls out her wedding book, notes, bible...I immediately realize we are in for quite the morning! We discussed chairs, tables, linens, my dress, a bridesmaid dress, tuxes vs. suits, flower, centerpieces, food, drinks, cutlery, shoes, dress shops, my bouquet vs. the bridesmaid bouquet vs. Mom's bouquet, designs for the bride's room, designs for the groom's room, traveling in the morning, cakes, lawn games, and I'm sure there was more...but quite honestly, I can't even think of it at this moment. I will admit though, one of my favorite moments of this visit with Judy was shoe shopping in her closet! (Thank you for the Tori Burch shoes!)

After our productive visit, we headed up to Smithgall to review the ceremony location because as it turns out, the lovely field where we intended to host our ceremony...isn't flat. And while it's a GORGEOUS field, I simply do not have balance THAT good, and I'm prefer my guests were having to sit sideways as well. (You can thank me later!) On our way we stopped for lunch at CUPCAKES at Truelove Celebrations. Now, I must admit, our tasting with the caterer was wonderful, but the cupcake tasting was MUCH better! Trey and I each grabbed one of their homemade salads to sample (I chose the chicken salad...which if you are ever in Gainesville and nearby...try it. You won't be disappointed!) and 3...yes THREE, cupcakes. We sampled Pumpkin, Strawberry and Italian Cream. When I tell you amazing, I am not even exaggerating! We were in the car fighting over who got the last bite of each one! We enjoyed them so much, we got two more on the way home! (Thankfully, I've got 6 months til the wedding! Won't be having many more of those trips!) We ended up deciding on Key Lime and Italian Creme cupcakes with a strawberry cake for us to cut, while Trey's cake will be either the Spice or Pumpkin! I promise, if you don't love them, we aren't friends anymore! :) With that said, take a peek at their page and make a visit to Gainesville for some deliciously sweet indulgence! 
http://www.facebook.com/truelovebakery

On our way back from Smithgall, we ran by Lanier Tent rental to look into cupcake tiers, table, chairs, and linens. When I say "stuff is expensive," I mean, THIS JUNK IS EXPENSIVE! We were pleased with the individual cost of the chairs...until we realized that we needed 100! Thankfully, we aren't having many tables (and in turn, many linens) because once again...that stuff is EXPENSIVE! Now, with that said, we aren't renting a ton of stuff, so it's not going to be outrageous, but we talked with them about a recent wedding at Smithgall Woods where the couple rented $11,000 worth of stuff! ELEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PEOPLE! That's simply out of control! We...welp, we're going for under a grand! Woo Hoo!! We were very pleased with the company and they had exactly what we wanted! Check that off the list!

We ended our day at Christopher's Bridal and Tuxedo Rentals. My favorite part of this shop was the shoe section! If you buy shoes from Christopher, he will dye them for FREE! CHA-CHING! Now, the trick is finding shoes that I LOVE! (That's being saved for another shopping adventure with Mom!) We were able to get some great ideas for Trey, the groomsman, and the man of honor! I can't wait to go shopping with them, because let's face it...this is simply not like my dress shopping. I get a say in what those men wear! :) 

After a busy, exhausting, exciting day, we headed home feeling very accomplished and productive! I continue to hope that the rest of our planning goes as easily as these first several months!

Our Favorite Part of Wedding Planning thus far!

So after looking at what felt like a million venues....everything else has been a piece of cake! (And with that said, we are going to look at cakes, CUPCAKES on Monday!) The photographer could not have been easier, and next up...catering!

Now, I'll admit, this was hands-down the part we were looking forward to the most. Let's be honest, who doesn't like to sample a variety of yummy foods? WE DO! Being novice "foodies," it's silly to say we do anything but enjoy a nice, long, delicious meal! Now with that said, before we actually make it to meet with the caterer, my mother leaves me with the wonderful bit of advice..."You aren't going to have any of those fancy foods you guys like so much? Think of your guests, Sarah!" Well, lucky for dear 'ol Mom, those fancy foods didn't fit with our feel for the day...or our budget! (Turns out wedding planning...it's NOT cheap!)

After multiple phone calls with our potential caterer (because we had to set a menu of food choices that provided us a selection...and multiple things to taste!....and a variety to keep our guests' bellies full and happy!), we finally decided on a date, time, and food selections. On our drive up to Cornelia (yes, Cornelia....our attempt to avoid travel fees, and find some good 'ol Southern food!), we discussed questions we had for the caterer, what they could cover and take care of for us to elimate some of the "smaller" food-necessary items, and what we were going to do about drinks!

As we arrive, we are immediately sat, drink orders taken....and then the trail of food begins! They were bringing it out faster than we could taste it! (Needless to say, lunch was NOT a necessity after this outing!) We tried such a multitude of different treats, that we had a difficult time deciding what we wanted! Thankfully, like a solid caterer should, he came to us and asked what we wanted and they would create a menu for us! CHA-CHING! So, after much deliberation, we decided on EIGHT...yes, eight (I'm a little bit overly excited to admit this because quite frankly, we know some of our guests like to eat...and we want them to be securely filled up!) different finger foods! I won't tell you what they are just yet...I want there to be some surprise! Just know...most everything can be eaten off of a skewer or a toothpick! Finger foods...at their finest!

After deciding on the foods, we moved on to drinks, tables, set up, times, etc....the uneventful stuff! We left with Greg (our caterer) letting us know they'd put together a cost for a menu and get back with us the following day! So now the waiting begins...

We were really hoping to get away with going UNDER budget somewhere, and this was the area it happened! By avoiding a full meal, we were nearly able to cut our food budget in half! (With plenty of food to still go around!) When he called the next day, I could not contain my excitement as I called Trey to tell him the good news! Not only did their amazing price cover the food, but also table set up for the food, 6 different drinks, glass plates, cups, and silver...and even a bartender! WOO HOO!

So, of course, since this was one of the parts we were looking forward to the most, I made sure to ask Trey if he would prefer to try out another place before making our final decision...and come to find out, apparently we are the lazy wedding planning couple, because it only took the one and we were sold! For all ladies currently planning your wedding, outside of finding our venue, everything else has been so easy! We attribute that to going with something when we got a good feel for it...not deciding to see multiple photographers or caterers just because! Hopefully the cupcake tasting (the part I'm most thrilled about) will be a hit too! Fingers crossed!

With that said, we've decided to use Food Factory on Main out of Cornelia, GA! Take a peek at their menu! YUM!

http://www.foodfactoryonmain.com/

Headed to an AA Meeting...

And by AA...I don't mean Alcoholics Anonymous, but rather a meeting with Mrs. Amy Arrington (Truelove!) Last night Trey and I hiked our happy butts up to Gainesville (at 5pm mind you) to meet with Amy and her husband regarding photography for our wedding!

I, personally, was so thrilled to once again be back on the Wedding Planning Train, after a multiple week sabatical where school took over my life. I had emailed SEVERAL photographers, looked at a million blogs, and truly spent entirely too long on this decision. So when Trey's aunt mentioned this lady out of North Georgia (woo hoo!) who was our age...I was on board! And then, upon talking to Amy over email, I was really won over! I had received so many of the "standard" email stating congrats on our engagement, pricing, willingness to meet, etc. Quite frankly, I don't blame them! I'm sure emails are a dime a dozen in that industry. Actually, I could be wrong, maybe they aren't. Turns out...I don't know much about making a living being a photographer. ANYWAY...I really got a good feeling about her, but felt like things were just too easy.

So, finally, I took the leap, decided it was time to make a decision, and set up an appointment (after consulting my partner in crime on his schedule...which I already knew because he fails to have any concept of weekly planning!) Upon discussing this plan, Trey asks me roughly how long I think this meeting will take....my answer: 30-45 minutes. I couldn't have been more wrong!

As Wednesday arrives, I am wiggling with excitement and running around like a mad woman trying to ensure that as soon as the last kid is out of the office, my happy butt is in the car on the way to Gainesville! Welp, OF COURSE, not only did we have 1 child come back on the bus, but we also had 4...FOUR...who were not picked up in car riders! UGH! Thankfully, after making multiple phone calls, and hiding my rising worry, I was released to go!

Let me just say that 85 was my friend that day as I drove under the speed limit to get home, where my happy fiance was waiting patiently. When we arrived at Atlanta Bread Company (great meeting spot...even if we didn't eat), we immediately started talking! I think Trey even became more excited than I did! Not only did we get to share our ideas, but they were able to share some of their own and wisdom that we newbies simply don't have. As the evening went on, our conversation changed from wedding to personal lives to pets (for a long time....those of you who know us know we LOVE our pets and could talk about them at lengths longer than the average person cares to listen!) and even to travel and plans of places to visit. I'll be honest, at one point I almost told Trey to hush so someone else could talk! (I think he was a little excited!) My theory on a 30-45 minutes meeting was way off! Turns out, at the end of the day we were there for almost 3 and a half hours! At that point, not only had we invested quite a bit of time, but we were both sold! We loved their work, they seemed to truly understand the non-traditional look we were going for, and we spent 3 and a half hours talking to them! That's just nuts!

So with that said, we've now covered.....dress...venue...photographer! Next up, caterer!

In the mean time, take a look at Amy's blog! She is just wonderful!

Amy Arrington Photography

"TownCraft!"

Here on the Hales/Deaver front, we've had some excitement! As in...prize winnings! Err...winning! (Definitely only one, not multiple!) My mother and I attended the Georgia Bridal Expo two weekends ago at the Cobb Galleria Center. Mom and I were both informed at just how "overwhelming" it would be. Now of course, I thought this would be a fun adventure...an opportunity to scope out some deals...and see some wonderful ideas! I couldn't imagine the thought of being overwhelmed by loads of yummy treats, beautiful dresses, and lots and lots of giveaways! I have to tell ya, I'll be the first to admit...BOY was I wrong! Mom and I walked in and simply did not know where to start. We also had trouble with the massive number of venue and dress booths...both of which, we already have covered. We also discovered from many booths that due to the location of our venue, we would be charged a travel fee on top of the fees to use their services. (Definitely not what I wanted to hear.) Now I will say that the food samples were absolutely delicious! We had planned on going to lunch afterwards and to our luck, we ate more than I'd like to admit! But boy, was it delicious!!! So after visiting all the booths and gathering more pamphlets and paperwork that I ever wanted, we made our way for the car thinking that was the end of our bridal expo experience. 

Fast forward to Tuesday. On my way home from an awesome, amazing, incredibly frustrating day at work, I receive a phone call from a representative with TownCraft Cookware saying that I had WON the drawing from the Expo! What was my prize you ask? A catered dinner at our house (woo hoo!) and $300 worth of cookware! Now I'm pumped! I never win these things and this one sounded relatively promising! So as I run through the house telling Trey about it and deciding who to invite and such, my dear friend Rebecca informs me that while it's great that I've won...in reality, it's a sales pitch. Dreams...crushed! (Just kidding Rebecca!) With that said, I immediately got pumped once again at the idea of some of my favorite people all together and I didn't have to do ANY work!

Fast forward to yesterday! So after running home from school to ensure that all plates/cups/bowls are put away, clothes are off the floor, beds are made, etc everyone starts to arrive! Now despite the quickly flattening tire from the Harris clan that made for some pre-dinner excitement, we were all set and ready to go about 7pm. Quietly thanking myself for taking the time to clean the countertops one last time and put the last few dishes away I note that my entire kitchen is covered in cookware! (If only our prize had been $3000 instead of $300, we might've had something more to show from it!) The cooking show began with Matthew (the young face of the company) chomping on gum and informing us about the events of the evening. After a five minute blurb, he was benched for the remainder of the evening. Newbies gotta learn somehow. At that point, Larry took over. A true salesman. Like I said, if only I had $3000! He proceeds to compare TownCraft products to other standard cookware and then makes us TASTE the effects of the pan on boiled water. To best explain how it tasted, I gave Ruckus my spoon to lick (I sure wasn't about to drink all of that nastiness), and she promptly begins shaking her head like crazy and running to the water bowl! (We always claim that she's like a little human!) Back to Larry...as he cooks he is continually explaining how the various pieces of cookware can be used (ie: stacking pots and pans filled on top of the electric skillet and continuing to cook everything inside...neat trick!) So after watching Larry's song and dance, and trying to keep the boys in the group from harassing them too much...boys will be boys, we were finally able to eat! YES! Now unfortunately, the food was maybe a C- in quality (we like spices in this house!) So after chowing down (let's be honest, by this point we were starving!) Larry proceeds into his "sales" mode. Another unfortunate....turns out our $300 prize didn't win us a whole lot! I was AMAZED at the price of these items! An electric skillet for $800!!!! A dutch oven for almost a GRAND! WHAT! Welp, we certainly don't have that kinda money lying around, so we thanked Larry and Matthew for there time, embraced our new "man pan" and called the evening a night!

I knew going in that this could go wonderfully or poorly, and despite the mediocre food and the bummer on our prize, we had an amazing time! The evening could not have been better with the fun crowd we had! They truly made the evening much more entertaining than what I originally thought possible! After an evening like that, I am even more excited about our "wedding weekend!"

For those of you who are interested, here's what we won...that Trey plans to use TOMORROW for fajitas! 

®2010 TOWNECRAFT INC.

Date and Place-Check!

Welp, after many visits, emails, phone calls, to various venues...We have a VENUE! ::::cheers from the crowd::::  Let me begin by telling you how it is that we stumbled upon this treasure!


You've all heard read about our trip to Heritage Green in Sandy Springs. Not too shabby. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. It had potential. Unfortunately we weren't looking for "potential." We were looking for something unique and natural and truly reflected our style. So what did I do? Schedule more visits to venues exactly like Heritage Green. Sigh....Sarah in her brilliant moments. So after deciding that we simply could not go look at every venue together (and Trey wasn't interested in these at all!) I drag happily bring my mom along to look at two more venues that, in reality, I knew weren't exactly going to be it! She was such a trooper! So helpful and encouraging. And honest. Our first trip took us to  a lovely place in Norcross where, it just so happened, the in house caterer used to own a restaurant directly across from my mother's work! Small world right? So after hearing how delicious the food was I may have been sold! They way to a woman's heart is through her stomach...errr, anyway. However, after sharing information about the venue with my dear, very involved, fiance we decided that it was only an option if we couldn't find anything else. Fail...onto the next one!


Then, after filling our hungry bellies (smelling that tomato sauce would've made your stomach growl too!) with delicious Panera...we headed off to our next venue. As we run in to the bathroom (another brilliant moment...not going before we left Panera, GREAT first impression) Mom looks into the reception area and says "This isn't it. I can see all of the cars in the parking lot. Not a good view." Welp, I asked for honesty. BUT, like the troopers  we both are...we stuck it out as we were "pitched" into using this venue to celebrate our betrothment. Once again...fail.


So I essentially came home on Saturday after an exhausting, yet SUCCESSFUL, wedding dress shopping adventure to more failed venues. Sheesh! Welp, my very involved fiance informs me that Sunday he wants to go visit a place his aunt has mentioned to him and a state park up in Cleveland. Let me run you through my stream of consciousness regarding both of these places. State Park in Cleveland...do they do weddings in state parks? Where will we get ready? Where will we stay? There's NOTHING in Cleveland (err, very little). Oh well, I'll appease him as he has mentioned it several times. Maybe we can balance out our "failed venue ideas since I've struck out!"


On Sunday morning we get up and head up to the mountains. After speaking with the park manager we learn that all five cottages have to be rented and for two whole nights. YIKES. My first thought was, "Welp this is out...it's going to be entirely too pricey!" Turns out, being a small state park and all, it wasn't too bad! As we drive through the property and view the cottages and the landscape I being immediately talking about where I want pictures (to include a funny sign along a trail saying "Critters Welcome!"), how we could set up a ceremony on the lawn, how nice it would be to have an indoor/outdoor reception, etc. Okay, so perhaps I was a LITTLE excited.....or thrilled...or pumped. Take your pick. So, we keep it in mind (though Trey apparently secretly hoping I love it!) and head off to Loganberry Heritage Farm to check out this lovely barn his aunt has raved about!


As we arrive I am immediately in love. Flowers are everywhere. The view is spectacular. It is so incredibly unique in seating, in view, in...well, EVERYTHING! However, Trey on the other hand...didn't love it. Liked it...maybe. But love it he didn't. So, as we're talking through "logistics" with his aunt and it suddenly isn't looking so good. The more we talk, the less we love the barn...and surprisingly the more we begin to LOVE the state park. As we walk back to the cars his aunt and uncle immediately begin planning for us. (I now understand why people have a wedding planner...whew!) As ideas start swirling I am getting more and more excited, until...in all honesty, we have a plan. Now all we have to do is get the stars to align and work out exactly how we want.


And that's where things go wrong. First thing Monday morning I call, all prepared with my dates ready to lay down a deposit and finally secure our location. Only to hear "oh, two of the main cottages are booked that weekend." And...our plan crashes. Okay, Plan B: The end of Spring Break? Sure enough, someone else is getting married that weekend. Popular. UGH! So I call Trey completely devastated...and he calls the venue. So, while it may not be exactly when we want it, and it may not be the best time (not Spring Break and right before CRCT Testing) we have secure Smithgall Woods for April 19 and 20 with our ceremony taking place on the 20th! WOO HOO! So...if I seem like someone in need of sedation in April, give me a hug! :)


For those of you curious folks, here is the site: http://www.gastateparks.org/SmithgallWoods/


The cottage shown is where we will host our reception with the reception on the lawn outside! We are very excited to share our "wedding weekend" with some of our favorite people! And...I'm thrilled to at least have something to check off the long list of "to-dos!"

Said YES to the Dress!

So to begin, I FINALLY found the pictures from the Inn where Trey proposed and since it is beautiful, I wanted to share!

The sign outside the inn

Two Meeting Street Inn-Charleston, SC

Trey also, among all the other surprises, had gorgeous flowers sitting on the bistro table on our balcony when we returned!

Starburst Lilies-One of my favorites!

Now, on to the good stuff! Today my mother and I went dress shopping! Upon meeting a girl at Affordable Bridal who was getting married in November, I felt like perhaps I was jumping the gun a bit! However, after shopping and hearing how long it takes for dresses to come in (4-6 MONTHS!) I realized that perhaps...I was okay! And well, let's face it...I was ready to make a decision on something, and this one only needed approval from me (and my mother...Thanks MOM!). So, like my ring, I went in with the idea for my perfect dress. I wanted a fit and flare, sweetheart neckline, with ruching and a little bling. I tried on a scoop neckline...nope. I tried on a dress with pick-ups....nope. I even tried on a dress that weighed what felt like 50 pounds...definitely not! Here's a few of the contenders...

This one weighed a million pounds!

Finally, when I thought I was spent and going to choose through one of these options...the adorable bridal consultant (there is something to be said about a wonderful bridal experience!) brought in one final option that initially I honestly wasn't crazy about. However, after adding a jeweled belt and a simple yet blingy veil...I. Was. Sold! Even my mother, who was also a bit skeptical, just loved it! I must've stood there in it for 20 minutes. Looking every which way, moving the train, bustling the train, looking at the back, trying on various belts...OH MY! Let me tell you, making that final decision when there were SO MANY beautiful dresses wasn't easy, but at the end of the day, I am THRILLED to finally have a my dress!

Now, if only it could come in so I can sit on my couch and just enjoy this wonderful dress!

Learning about the "Sandy Springs..."

After hours, yes HOURS, of looking, emailing, calling, etc. various venues...we finally went to visit one. Only one. And, quite frankly, not even one we were very excited about. Just being honest. However, I REFUSED to sit and look any longer. I felt like it was time to explore, engage, and become excited about a venue! So on Sunday, Trey and I ventured out to Heritage Green in Sandy Springs. If you care to take a look, like my mother did (love you Mom!), here's the site. http://www.heritagesandysprings.org/

Now mind you, the entire drive there we debated, talked firmly, discussed things we liked and didn't like, days of the week, even CENTER PIECES. Yes ladies, my man talked about center pieces! Even upon arrival we were still talking about which day of the week we want...Friday or Saturday.

So here I am, sweating, standing happily outside this venue discussing what we are hoping to get out of this visit....that let me remind you, neither one of us are sold on. When all of a sudden Trey asks, "How long are you thinking this is going to take?" Oh. No. Here we go. This is our first, yes FIRST venue and already I think he's complaining. I could not have been more wrong. (yes!)

As our host shows us around the venue, here comes Trey right up beside her with QUESTIONS! Not just one or two, but a ton! He actually seemed to like this place! So I went from thinking that ten minutes into the visit he would be tapping his watch, doing his famous "time to go Sarah" eyes, and checking his phone for the Braves score. Not the case! Ding! Lucky me! I'm pretty sure I was hustled by my fiance who simply faked a lack of enthusiasm while actually spending the wee hours of the night looking into "What to ask of Wedding Venues." Now, I'm not sure if he's actually done any research or if they were generally questions that he would've asked me had I gone alone on this visit (thank goodness he was there...I hate the 20 questions game when I get home.)

So, what I can take away from this visit...even if we won't be using it, is that I truly don't need to stress much about dragging Trey all over Georgia in hopes of finding that perfect location! Whew!

Diving right in!

Welp, we've managed to survive an eventful vacation, a move across several towns, loss of air conditioning, days without TV or Internet, a leak in the garage and now the storage room downstairs....and now we can start planning! (Notice how I said WE and. not just Sarah by herself! Woo Woo!)


So we first talked theme or style...just to make sure Trey didn't hate it! (Just being honest...) We have decided on a southern rustic look! Think mason jars...simple flowers...very natural and laid back! Not redneck...not cheap...not really even country. Just rustic. We've never been the glitzy glam type...and figured our wedding shouldn't reflect something we are not!

Now with that said, I have learned that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knows something about wedding planning. (Not that I am complaining...all suggestions are welcome!) However, it's overwhelming! "Look into this venue" or "I saw this on Pintrest and you simply MUST do it" or "Well, you have to have engagement pictures...why wouldn't you?"

Well let me begin by saying, we are not looking to put ANYONE into debt. (Least of all...us!) With that said, spending tens of thousands of dollars simply holds no interest to me. At the same time, I do realize that venues aren't free, flowers aren't free, food isn't free...I could go on forever! And boy do I wish they were! Wouldn't that be nice...free food...we don't ask for much here people!

So, we've got a theme, a general idea for time of year, colors, garter, and...perhaps a ceremony idea? Now those of you who had a fiance that said "Do whatever it is that you want and I'll be fine with it all..." well...I envy you! :) Okay, so I'm joking about that (somewhat). Yes, I want Trey to be involved. Yes, I want his opinion. Yes, I want him to like the things I pick out. But man, oh man, getting two somewhat stubborn, hard-headed, opinionated (even if it is done quietly) people to agree and have the same "vision," isn't as easy as people play it off to be. I'm not here to lie to you...just the facts! (Like that new show on HBO, Newsroom...if you don't watch it, you should. You'll thank me.) Now, if you aren't married, engaged, in discussions about your dream wedding with your potential groom-to-be, take it from me. It's NOT all rainbows and butterflies! Now, it is fun, and let me tell ya...if I had a million dollars I could throw one heckuva party! But trying to find the perfect place, with the perfect food, with the perfect dress, and perfect flowers, and perfect time of year...and then have another person agree that it's all perfect and it fits perfectly into your budget...Not. Realistic. So, we compromise. Here's the kicker: I'm convinced wedding planning and perhaps house hunting (and maybe having children...I don't know, I have no experience in that field) are two of the best ways to work on communication and compromise. Hey, if you're going to marry them...going through wedding planning together is certainly a way to tell if it's going to work or not! ;)

Now the trick is...finding the time to actually go find and agree on that perfect place...perfect food...and perfect dress. Fingers crossed!

What June Taught Me...

I apologize in advance for the list form that will take place in today's blog, however, it seemed the best way to accurately explain my life in the last 30 days.

-turns out my fiancé can plan one heckuva surprise
-sometimes nature and camping can make an adventurous and wonderful vacation
-it IS possible to find a place to live, pack your entire house, AND move in 7 short days...while also teaching Summer School
-Everyone knows something about wedding planning and genuinely wants to be helpful
-All of that help can be overwhelming...
-Life is...live able, bearable, hmmm...not horribly dreadful when you don't have air and temperatures outside top 100
-Sometimes things don't happen in threes...they happen in tens, and we can still survive WITHOUT a mental breakdown, cursing on the phone at the idiots, er..Customer Service Specialists who hold your sanity in their hands, or harming small furry animals
-There is a decent Chinese, BBQ AND Mexican restaurant in Auburn...and we've found them all.
-They may be the only decent restaurants in town. I'll touch more on that later.
-Bridal magazines are full of overpriced advertisements
-Auburn has more Ingles than Publix and Kroger combined
-I have to cross railroad tracks each day to get home
-driving on 85 is a million times better than 45 red lights
-It's easier to plan the cheap, small wedding details than the big expensive ones.
-Men aren't nearly as interested in weddings as women.
-I hate running...outside...in Summer.
-But mostly, I hate running, period.
-Small, thoughtful birthday moments are the best kind!
-And finally, moving with a loud obnoxious cat and no sedatives kinda stinks!

Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air...

Welp, we've officially moved, and let me go on record saying "I'm NEVER moving again." Barring unforeseen events, Trey and I foolishly thought things were going to go off without a hitch...even with the 3 digit temperatures. Let me walk you through the past week...
Thursday morning Trey and his wonderful brother and posse meet at the house to do all of the final arrangements, walk through, etc. He gets the water hooked up, meets the property manager, and so on. Things are looking bright! However, then everything took a turn. That afternoon as everything was getting unloaded, I inconveniently forgot to put my work laptop back in my car once it was unloaded. So in the midst of hustling to get the UHaul on time...it was run over. Sigh...and so it begins. (I know one day we'll look back and laugh on this, in fact, I think I've reached the point of delirium where I'm already laughing at the situation, perhaps it's the heat...) Moving on...
As we arrive at UHaul, I check to ensure we know where to drop said UHaul off the following day. Unfortunately due to a miscommunication....we are ONLY to drop it off back where we got it. In Cumming, GA. An hour from our new house. Spectacular. Learned my lesson.
Okay, so moving day arrives! YAY! We've got 4 strong boys, my mom and brother, and we're up at 6:30 moving and shaking hoping to avoid the hottest day of the summer. But of course, as moving goes, things take longer than expected. After 4 hours of packing the UHaul (did I mention the 3 hours the night before?), we are ready to go! Cars are loaded and the last thing to load up...the pets. Now, Ruckus (my favorite pet) LOVES car rides so of course she is psyched and ready to go. Rwwar (the bain of my existence) hates them. Hates her kennel. Hates being outside of her world at Wood Bridge. Hates the outdoors, unless she walks out there herself. So....guess who got to listen to her cry the entire hour to our new place...Yours. Truly. I was ready to kick, throw her out the window, release her in her new home within seconds of arriving for fear of what I might do to her myself if I had to listen to one more incessant cry. But we made it! Everyone is safe, and as far as we can tell, everything is safe!
Then the real fun begins...unpacking the UHaul. Sheesh. I literally was fearful for heat casualties as I slowly watched members of our moving party dropping like flies. Now with a lot of water, a lot of Gatorade, and Mom's handy wet towels of awesomeness, everyone survived with only minor bumps, bruises, and immense levels of exhaustion. YAY...a high point I suppose in the move!
Now here's where it just gets funny...we have not had air conditioning since we moved in. Go ahead, read that line again...   We are currently at 6 days, and perhaps the 6 hottest days in the 2012 summer. Brutal. We noticed after the move that it was warm upstairs but chalked it up to the doors being open and the temperature hovering around 104 degrees. However, when Saturday came and we woke up to 84 degrees in our living room we knew something was up. Then comes Sunday and now its 92. NOT okay. So Sunday evening I call the property manager to explain our situation. He informs me the AC contractor can't come til Tuesday...okay, we'll manage. Tuesday turns into Wednesday due to other unforeseen events, and Wednesday now turns into Thursday. Turns out we have a freon leak and our unit is frozen solid. Amazing. So here we are, Thursday morning, keeping my fingers crossed and saying prayers to the AC gods...please let today be the day!
On top of no air, which has driven us to the bonus room downstairs with our lovely pets for a slumber party the past four nights, our cable is messed up too! Now, this may come as no big surprise...of course it is. Transferring service is NEVER as easy as they say it will be. Wishful thinking. After an hour and a half on Saturday spent on the phone, we realize someone is going to have to come to the house. Fast forward to our appointment on Wednesday...after 2 and a half hours, a line laying in our yard because the house wasn't "cable ready" and multiple back and forth trips to his truck, the technician informs me that our bedroom needs an entirely new line run through it because there is no signal...at all. Lovely. So now I'm on the phone once again with the annoying lovely automated phone service that comes with cable television setting up yet another two appointments...one to get a new line in the bedroom and another to get the cable buried since Ruckus is terrified of it and won't walk through the yard near it!
The light at the end of the tunnel is slowly drawing nearer...here's to hoping that by our second week, we can finally start unpacking!

I'm going to sleep like a champ!

We have officially found a house to live in....whew! Of all the things hanging above my head, this was easily the most stressful! Trey found out Monday, yes Monday, June 18th, that he would be the new store manager and open the Kirklands in Winder. With that said, they get the keys to the store and begin prepping it for opening on JULY 2nd. Oy vey. With this knowledge, I tried my best to NOT have a heart attack, NOT be an emotional wreck, and most of all, NOT create more stress for my new fiance. For those of you getting engaged...take a week to enjoy it and relax. (AKA: Don't try to plan a move.)

So, I spent all 30 minutes of recess and all 30 minutes of lunch (duty free of course!) calling realtors, setting appointments, and making sure the places were ready to go. With that said, by Wednesday we were ready to go look and hopefully find our newest home. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen problems, rifts, emergencies, we were only able to look at one. So, here we are rushing home, Trey on the phone and Sarah....trying not to have a meltdown. (Men, the best thing you can learn about women is that sometimes...we just need an emotional moment. Don't question it.) So, that night, I recollected myself, spent a few hours researching, calling, and emailing every realtor in a 50 mile radius and with anything close to our price range. 

Once again, I found myself on Thursday, calling back realtors, setting appointments, and well...sending up prayers, promises of my first born, second born, third born, what have you! Followed by a painstaking productive evening of packing not just a few, but THIRTY boxes. No. Big. Deal.

And wouldn't you know it...today we found it! Not only that, but we found THREE! We were able to take our pick from three houses and decide on the one that worked the best for us! Whew! We now have more room than we know what to do (I'm sure we'll find something!), and a fire pit! Yes, that was a selling point! :) I can shamefully, and very excitedly admit it! Roasted marshmallows anyone? 

As today ends, I reflect on how thankful....grateful....thrilled I am to have my brother, who gladly allowed himself to be dragged all across Georgia this afternoon while I got the applications and all that came along with it filled out! I very well may have gone a little stir crazy if I had to be alone in the car much longer! (Now mind you...I am paying him with food for a weekend of his packing services!) I do believe in child labor!

Until next time, I'm prepared for a full, restful night of sleep!

Let the decision making begin!

Let me begin with a disclaimer...all decision stated over the next few months (until paid for) are subject to change! Let's just hope they don't change too much!
With that said, two decisions have been made:
Venue...Nope
Dress....Haven't even looked
Food...we'll get there
Photographer...not even close
What we do have is this....COLORS and Garter Design! :)
One thing that Trey and I have loved doing over the past 4 years is attending Braves games. It seems only fitting that we find a way, quietly of course, to share this special part of our lives. And what better way than a lacey elastic band around my thigh!!!
Now onto the good decision..the colors! After much thought, and looking, and deliberation, and well, a lot of things! We are thinking about lilac and yellow. (This is where the subject to change bit comes into play!) With the time of year we are aiming at (spring), I think these colors would lend us to a lot of truly beautiful options! And let's face it, who doesn't love a cheerful color like yellow? So with that, suggestions are MORE than welcome! I'm open to flowers, centerpiece arrangements, anything regarding decorating in fact!
Think something along these lines...


I'll continue to update when house hunting stops taking over my life!

The (soon-to-be) Deaver's are on the MOVE!

That's right ladies and gents, Trey got the official word...we will be moving to Auburn, GA in t-minus 2 weeks! I am terrified, overwhelmed, panicky, THRILLED beyond belief! We will finally have a yard for Ruckus to play in, a deck to host on, a guest bedroom AND office (not merged). So plan for my next few posts to be a little less marriage adventure...and a little more HOLY COW...WE'RE MOVING IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS! Do please say a prayer for me though...Lord only knows what a crazed woman is capable of!
Now, onto wedding planning adventures! (The good stuff!) We got our first "Happy Engagement" card! I was quite possibly more thrilled than one should be about a card, but there, in the midst of a lovely plate (or plates...as each roll came on one plate) of sushi, I was wiggling with anticipation to tear open that envelope and read the sweet words of encouragement and love that only friends can provide. As it would seem, we ended up trading cards as our single engagement celebration turned into a duo celebration! Our friends, Vinny and Beth, got engaged about a month ago. With the end of school, planning on moving, vacation, etc. (and that doesn't even include their busy schedules!) we were simply unable to shower them with lovely and delicious savories. However, tonight provided that opportunity and little did we know that we, too, would be receiving a love note!
Please don't think my excitement was misplaced. I LOVED sharing this experience with our families first! (I wouldn't have had it any other way in fact). However, when the opportunity came to meet up with friends...I GLADLY embraced it! Now mind you...this was AFTER the bombardment I received from my lovely Summer School colleagues! I purposely got to school at 6:30 (SAY WHAT!!!!) this morning (yes, I regretted it every minute of every hour all day long) so that I could get things done, because I knew that once my patiently awaiting colleagues arrived there would simply be no swaying them from ring gazing, story telling, and lots and LOTS of squealing!
So what did I learn today? Little love notes are entirely too exciting! I can only hope that everything is as exciting as engagement cards and dinners!

It all began with a question...

Hello all,


I opted to begin this blog in all honesty to keep myself sane and have the opportunity to reflect, enjoy, cry, display my moment's of madness, and truly relish the act that is wedding planning. With that said, let's begin with where this all started...


Trey and I were friends, err...friendly acquaintances, all through college. We were friends with many of the same people, enjoyed seeing each other at social events, etc. We knew many of the same people, but weren't exactly tight. After college, we both went our separate ways and didn't think much of it. One day, Trey sent me a message on Facebook (ahh...where true love reunites. Hmm..) asking how I was doing and such. After talking off and on, he enticed me with his newly purchased (completely old school) jet ski and the allure of a beautiful lake house. That was all it took...before long, we were where we are today...crazy about each other! I opted for the Reader's Digest version as opposed to the 4 year long story of our relationship. You'll thank me for that!


Alas, on to the proposal story...let me begin by saying Trey is not a hopeless romantic, but the man does have skills and just so happens to be very very sneaky! With a busy summer looming ahead, we planned an outdoor, week long, camping adventure. I was hesitant, but prepared with a positive attitude and desire to see the great outdoors. After 6 days, almost 2000 miles, 5 different states, hours of hiking and sleeping on the soft, comfortable, ground, I finally engrossed myself in a book. Now mind you...my sneaky boyfriend had informed me that we would be traveling home by way of Columbia, SC, so when I looked up on the road to see a sign that said "Interstate 26: Columbia and Charleston" of course I thought nothing of it. I, instead, continued full immersion into the life of a canine and all of their hilarious thought processes. So when we finally pull into Charleston, I find a way to come out of my canine filled world and notice the people walking beside us, the lack of what appeared to be an exit for a bathroom break, and all of the beautiful buildings all around. Trey simply answered my curiosity with a smile and the phrase "I don't know" in a sing songy voice! Things began to fall into place when we pulled up outside the Two Meeting Street Inn, walked in, and they knew who he was! I was further surprised when we get to our room and one of my dresses and his shoes are in the closet! (Didn't I say he was sneaky?) After pulling myself out of the world of wonderment in this beautiful bed and breakfast, we got dressed and went for a walk along the bay. We returned to our private balcony (!) overlooking Battery Street where waiting for us was a beautiful vase fragrant with the brightest lilies, a bottle of Pinot Noir (like one in our own collection), and a delicious meal from Magnolia's (our favorite restaurant!) It was after this beautiful evening that Trey asked to marry me....and then the inquisition series of questions started. I had to know...how on earth had he pulled off all of this without me picking up on it AT ALL! Tricky tricky!


So now we come to the fun part. The part everyone says to enjoy and have fun with. Quite frankly, I feel overwhelmed. I realize it all starts with a beginning, but where do we begin? Oy vey! Therefore, if you see me and I look crazed...give me a hug! :) Regardless, I am looking forward to planning our perfect day and sharing it with all of you!