I'm officially done with my undergrad tomorrow! We have commencement and then a senior gala right afterwards and after that I think my family will be going out to eat to celebrate. I am so glad to be done with school for a while! I am planning on going back for my masters in business once D is finished with dental school, I figure it will be of more worth to me than a masters in interior design. I guess we will just have to see how things pan out.

Today has mostly been spent relaxing. After exams last week and D parents visiting this week I am exhausted. While D's parents were here we went to Chicago though which was amazing as always. It was their first time down there and I think they really liked it as well.



There isn't much new in wedding news. Right now I am just trying to find a ceremony location which is harder than I would have though. We are looking for a beach location on Lake Michigan somewhere between Holland and Grand Haven. The hardest part is that to get anything to have to rent a cottage with it as well or deal with a large number of people that could possibly be around (for the public locations). I really just want something easily accessible that doesn't cost much (or anything) to rent for a few hours. You would think that Michigan having the longest fresh water coastline in the world this would be a very easy task but it definitely is not. All of the area in which I am looking is either privately owned (so a house/cottage would have to be rented for a week) or public (meaning lots of people around...). If anyone knows of anything in the area I would be happy to have the suggestions!

Ok, I'm off for more relaxing :)

Im finally in the homestretch. I only have 3 more exams, all of which I will be done with by tomorrow :) On an even better note, I got a few things for engagement pictures this past weekend when my parents got back from their cruise.

I got this in navy and I think I am going to wear it with a white skirt



I got this in white and I am going to pair it with jeans and a cute pair of shoes. What do you think, heels or flats??


I also got a cute shirt with the number 22 on it and a sailboat simply because it is my favorite number and we got engaged on my 22nd birthday!

Thank you Mom and Dad!!


To my readers; I was wondering what all of you were doing for your bridesmaids? I had thought it was fairly typical today for bridesmaids and groomsmen to pay for their own attire. Does this still hold true? Is anyone else doing it this way? Anyone helping their BM and GM out with their attire or even paying for all of it?

I'm Back!!

So I am officially back! After a week and a half of insane stress levels accompanied by being sick, it feels so good to have almost all of that over with. I still have three more exams and a project due but I'm not really too worried about those.

The next few weeks are going to be a whirlwind of actives. Here is my list of things I am doing & need to do over the next couple of weeks.

- finish studying for exams
-graduation (yay!!)
-Trip to San Fran to look for an apartment
-Trip to Maine to visit D's family
- My brothers Graduation & open house from high school
- Work :( (unfortunately I have to add that one in there)
-Engagement pictures
-Make our save the dates
-Find a ceremony location, florists & baker

Ok so that isn't all of it but I think you get the idea.

On another note, vineyard vogue had a post the other day about changing up her blogger page. I have been thinking about the same thing for a while now but can't seem to find anything. I can make my own banners but I'm just no good with HTML. I also visited the pyzam site and found nothing! It may be just me but I am past the point of 14yr old myspace layouts. I don't want a hurly or abercrombie logo or some shadow of a naked girl on my page.. There were a few cute polka dots and striped but I want something different & unique. Any ideas for me??

I'm so glad to be back, the break was just what I needed :)

Have a great day!

The Proposal

Ok so to really tell this story I would have to start all the way back to June 2008. I will spare you all the long story and instead give you the cliff notes version. It all started about a week before my 22nd birthday. 22 is my favorite number so I was really looking forward to this birthday! D kept asking me if I had any idea about what he had gotten me. For the most part I really had no clue. A few hints here and there led me to believe that I would be going on a trip but to where I had no idea. The day before my birthday D told me that I would need to dress for pretty much the same weather as here (cold, snowy, freezing...). I figure I had it down to three options; Chicago, New York, or Detroit (yes, I know, Detroit.. but the new MGM Grand just came in and D knew how much I wanted to go there for dinner.. so it was a possibility). The night before my birthday my parents came up to celebrate with D and I. It was then that D gave me a card telling me to be ready to fly. He asked me if I still felt like guessing where we were going and of course, I knew: NEW YORK. I was so excited, I had never been to New York and have always wanted to. That night I packed my bags and went to bed so I could be up early for our flight the next morning.

I woke up the morning of my birthday to candles and roses lining the hallway. All I could think about what oh my gosh, he is going to propose..... As I walked down the hallway I was so excited but when I saw D standing by the coffee table with breakfast made, fresh strawberries, champagne, and chocolate milk(an inside joke from how we met) I knew it wasn't going to happen. Along with the roses and candles were hand written notes (22 to be exact) with messages from D about our past and how much he loved me. I was slightly disappointed but still so surprised and happy at the same time. When we got to New York we went to our hotel which was amazing! It was a small boutique hotel right in Times Square and I (and the designer in me) loved it! After we got settled we decided to go for dinner and walk around for a while to see the sights. We decided to go look at all of the amazing Christmas window displays and after seeing almost all of them I was pretty tired. I started getting fairly grouchy and couldn't figure out why D wouldn't just let us go back to the Hotel or take a quick break. Finally he told me that we should go walk back down to Rockefeller Center ( the first time we walked by it was packed and we decided to pass it). I was busy taking pictures of the gorgeous Christmas Tree when D wrapped his arms around me and started telling me how much I meant to him and how much he loved me. He pulled out the little blue box (literally, he left it wrapped because he knew I would love to see that little blue box with the white ribbon) and asked me to open it. As I was opening it he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! as you all know, I said yes, called my parents and spent the rest of the vacation seeing the sights, going to Mary Poppins (front row seats, my Christmas present from D.. its my favorite movie from when I was a kid) and just enjoying each others company!

I got tagged, Twice!!

I know I promised my proposal but I will have that for you later tonight or early tomorrow.


I got tagged by A Windy City Wedding & Vineyard Vogue so here goes

RULES:
1) you link back to the person who tagged you.
2) post these rules on your blog.
3) share six unimportant things about yourself.
4) tag six random people at the end of your entry.
5) let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs

6 unimportant things about myself:

1. I loooove the smell of chlorine. I'm sure being a swimmer helped that one.
2.I swam competitively for 12 years and just gave it up 2 years ago... I will probably be starting up again in San Fran
s. I am addicted to orange juice. I can drink a gallon of it in less than 24 hours...
4. I never considered myself to have a 'best friend" that spot was always reserved for my mom
5. I was never the girly girly type growing up. I would rather play legos than dream about being a princess. I firmly believe that most girls DID NOT grow up dreaming about their wedding day.
6. I have driven the same car since my Junior year of high school & im hoping she will make it just a few more months

I tag:
1. Lucky Me!
2. Tie the knot
3. Snippet and Ink
4. A little sussy
5. I heart peonies
6. sf girl by bay

Enjoy!

Ok so I'm still not back but I just realized I never put up the proposal! I promise it will be the first thing up when I come back. Soon, I promise!

A little Break

I will be taking a little break from blogging. My stress level has just hit an unmentionable high with finals, graduation( which I still haven't picked up tickets for or my cap and gown...), apartment hunting, and trying to fit in time for friends and family. It is times like these when saying screw it to everything and heading out here seems like the best idea ever.



6 months of peace and quite (no homework, finals, rent payments, etc.) sounds all too good right now. Watch out, one of these days I'm actually going to do it... Until then, back to Autocad. See you all in a week or so :)

Decisions, decisions

So finally, after months of little progress on our wedding planning we are officially moving forward! It is so exciting to have decisions made because it means I can finally start working on some of the smaller (dare I say) more exciting elements! On to what we have done, Most of you know that we were initially looking in the Chicago area, specifically A New Leaf, to host our wedding. Well after a little more research and a visit with an old friend I stumbled across a place in Holland. Yes, you heard me right, Holland. The space was almost everything I was looking for, the food looks amazing, and there is a lot included in the cost which will leave money for other details I had wanted. Having the reception in Holland also means I get to keep my dream of having the ceremony on the beach :)

I introduce, Till Midnight:


The restaurant and banquet center are located in the old Baker Furniture Building. I thought that was also pretty fitting considering I am an interior designer and LOVE furniture :)




( I love the exposed ceiling and brick)

We are renting out the entire banquet hall including the outdoor space. This includes tables, chairs, linens, and centerpieces (vases). I'm not sure if we will use some of the linens they provide because they don't match the color scheme but we will for sure use the white ones. I'm also not sure about the centerpieces but it all depends on what I decide to do for the tables. Either way they will be great to have around the cocktail area and outside for added light.

Another decision we made was finally setting our date. July 18, 2009

We had originally wanted a June date (June 20, 2009) but unfortunately the photographer we wanted was booked then.

The photographer we booked is Amy Carroll. She does amazing work and comes highly recommended. Check out her blog and website for examples of her work.

Now we have my side of the family looking for waterfront locations where we can have the ceremony!

Things are finally moving forward and I am so excited!