I dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance...

                                          A church filled with flowers, friends and beautiful music...

                                                I asked him what kind of a wedding he wished for...

                                                       He said one that would make me his wife.

                                       &nbs p;                                     ~ Anonymous   

                                                    WEDDING DATE: May 14, 2009

FOR SALE!!!!! http://www.projectwedding.com/post/list/for-sale-wedding-items-3

http://signaturebysarahdesigns.blogspot.com

Welcome to Signatures by Sarah!  I create custom monogram designs, invitations, wine bottle labels and pretty much anything else paper-wise and would love to work with you to tie your wedding together!  Monograms can be used on just about ANYTHING for your wedding:  invitations, programs, wishing tree cards, thank yous, cake, on the dance floor, signs and labels, you name it!  Personalized wine bottle labels are a great way to identify tables, or use as favors!  With print-at-home options, they can be very affordable and unique!

INVITATION SUITES

Pro pic slideshow!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEv_1J8tZ80

Check out our blog!!

www.DiamondstoDiamond.blogspot.com

..photos taken by Stephanie Osborne, Ardent Photography, Laramie, WY..

Venue (Tapestry House Event Center)

DH getting ready

Getting ready with the girls

Dress

Bridal Portraits

The Ceremony

Bride and Groom Portraits

Details

Formals

above: group guest shot                                      above: our parents, sister/BiL, grandparents, aunt

above: my family                                                  above: DH's family

above: bridal party (sister-in-law and her husband)  above: flowergirl, Jessica and ring bearer, Nicolas

Reception

It was a total "God" moment!  I'll never forget...

I had known since about August 2007 that he was going to propose "soonish".  However, I wasn't aware that Brian's plan was for October 07.  I found out from him at the beginning of October that it would be before the end of the year, leaving a 3 month window (Oct, Nov, Dec) for me to try and figure out.  Every weekend in October was filled with some sort of activity, leaving little chance for "us" time for him to pop the question.  However, the last weekend in October became free after some plans to spend it at some mountain yurts with our best friends changed.  Brian and I then decided to spend that Saturday hiking somewhere.  I had gotten a really good report about a trail west of Boulder from a friend that I hadn't talked to for a few years.  So we decided to spend the day hiking up to Isabelle Lake and then maybe spend some time in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.  I had an idea that he might propose that day, but I was trying really hard not to get excited for something that I didn't know much about. 

When we woke up on Saturday morning, it was overcast and cold.  We drove up to Ward and beyond to get to the trailhead.  As soon as we drove above Ward and out of the valley, we literally drove above the clouds.  The rest of the day was sunny with that beautiful Colorado blue sky.  So we commenced to hike 5 miles up to Isabelle Lake, passing other beautiful lakes along the way.  It was warm and the weather was absolutely perfect.  We arrived at the lake around 1:10 pm.  When we saw the lake, we were both awestruck.  We didn't know what to expect.  It was a gorgeous glacial lake surrounded by massive mountains dabbled with snow.  The elevation was just under 11,000 ft., so the air was crisp and clean.  The only sound was of the wind blowing and our breathing.  I had to use a bush desperately, and when I came back, Brian was down by the lake behind a couple of rocks, trying to shield himself from the intense wind coming off the lake.  I stepped over to him and suddenly got butterflies in my stomach.  I knew he was going to propose.  He said to me, "Wow, this is beautiful.  This last year has been the best year of my life..."  He reached into his coat and grabbed a small box.  He then said, "And I want to make it permanent.  I would be honored if you would be my wife.  Would you marry me?"  I started crying and laughing and crying some more.  After I stopped shaking, I was able to say "YES!!" to him.  We spent the next half hour sitting by Isabelle Lake, talking and dreaming, crying and laughing.  It was the best hike of my life.  It was a total "God" moment, and I am thinking Him everyday for the blessings He has given us, starting with the blessing of having Brian in my life!
                                 

<shameless plug>

I do wildlife and pet pencil drawings on the side.  It's my creative outlet (other than wedding projects)!  They really make great gifts for people, and are a neat keepsake.  My website is www.pricelessportraitsinpencil.net.  You can find some examples of my work, ordering info, etc.  I accept payments by Paypal, if you're not near ft Collins, CO.  :)  Enjoy!

Okay so it's complicated, but here's the ring that Brian proposed with:

    (ring from BlueNile.com, highly recommend!)

Here's the story.  So after going ring looking together, I had fallen in love with a Tacori setting, but it was $8000, and at that point we knew there was no way we'd be able to afford that.  Then Brian came up with the idea of buying the simplest ring he could, and having a custom wrap made to make it look like the Tacori.  So he bought the ring above, and we started visting jewelers to find out about custom.  Well long story short, no jewelers could have made anything to look like that, and we weren't satisfied with what we had found out.  Well in the midst of all that, I found another ring at Fred Meyer that I really liked.  So we re-designed my final ring to include the elements of the Fred Meyer ring.  We are having Cooper and Cooper custom build the ring, that will include my original e-ring.  The final ring will look like this:

I LOVE the "floating" diamonds on either side of the center stone.

Here's Brian's ring:

It has all the "aspects"/characteristics that I wanted in a dress! V9263 from Davids Bridal

BUSTLE:

PRO PICS:

It ended up being SO much fun!

In the morning, day-of, we (BM/DH's sister, DH's mom, my mom, aunts, friends) met at the nail salon and got manis and pedis...

At Tapestry House, pro-pics:

A few favorite shots with my love...

The photog we had hired ended up not being willing to work with us, and didn't care about making us happy with his photos... :(  We booked Ardent Photography out of Laramie, WY.  Stephanie is really amazing!  We can't wait for her to shoot our wedding!

We got these pics taken up at Viestnez-Smith park.. a place very close to our hearts.  It was amazing!  We also had another session at Old Town in Ft Collins CO.  Very fun shots!

My dream location...

Our ceremony and reception was at the Tapestry House in Laporte, CO.  It's a "new" Victorian-style house with gorgeous grounds and a wonderful reception pavilion.

                        www.tapestryhouse.com

PRO PICS:

Here's the bride's suite:

Ceremony:

Reception Pavilion:

We decided to go with our main color as wine, and mix in champagne and azalea as well.

I made our own pocketfold invitations and all the goodies inside :)

Materials:

• 12x12" sheets of cardstock, color of choice
     (you'll require 1 sheet per invite)
• 8.5x11" sheets of cardstock or normal paper, color of choice (for inside of invitation, you'll require 1 sheet per invite, approx)
• 1-3 sheets of 12x12" cardstock in any applicable accent color
• 20+ yards 1/2" wired-edge ribbon (for inside invite)
• 20+ yards of 3/4" wired-edge ribbon (for around outside of invite)
• paper cutter
• printer
• bone-folder
• super glue that works for paper
• picture corners
• stamp/embossing tools

I started out with a 12"x12" piece of cardstock in our wine color.  I made a template that measured the correct measurements so that I could just use it to trace where the cuts should be for all the other ones.  NOTE: Drawing not to scale!!!

I then used a straight-edge/ruler to fold up the "pocket" part.. I cut off 1 5/8" off the "pocket" section so it's not as "tall" as it looks in this pic.  I glued just the very outside edge of it in place so that my reception cards that were already made could fit.  I also glued in the ribbon that will go around the seal the invite.  If the "insides" of your invite (rsvp cards, maps, etc) are small/skinny enough, you can always glue the inside edge of the pocket section as well and have a true "pocket".

Next I folded the inside section, using a ruler/straight edge.  I also used a bone folder to make the creases nice and flat.  I then folded the "front" section over, 2" from where the diagonal cut was made in the paper.  Please see the drawing above and find where it says 2" on the top of the drawing.

I embossed the word "Love" on the inside flap.

I wrapped the ribbon around the whole thing, gluing the ribbon into place on just the folded edges of the invite.  (If you are using satin ribbon or solid ribbon, you could probably glue it anywhere.. my ribbon is sheer chiffon type stuff, so the glue shows through).  I then ended the ribbon just 1/4" before the "tip" of the front of the invite (right above the word "LOVE" in the below pic).  I then glued our monogram square over the ribbon, etc.  (see pic below)

We put clear photo corners on the pocket, to be able to place an engagement photo in each invitation.

For the inside of the invitations, I used Microsoft Word to create our template.  I formatted the page to be landscape oriented.  We were able to create 2 templates per 8.5x11" sheet of paper.  I printed out 30 of them, cut them to the correct size, used double-sided tape to attach them to the wine-colored cardstock.  I then tied the 1/2" ribbon around it, and attached thatto the champagne-colored cardstocks, and attached the entire thing to the inside middle section of the pocketfold.  For the inserts, I did the same thing: made templates in Word, printed them out (6 to a page), cut them, attached them to cardstock, and inserted them into the pocket.

To make our monogram: Again, I used Word, and printed out 30 "G"s onto our paper, cut them to the correct size, attached that paper to the champagne cardstock, and attached that to the pink cardstock.  I then glued the monogram square on top of the belly-band ribbon (see above instructions)

Envelopes:

I DIYed the inside liners, using these instructions: http://www.projectwedding.com/post/list/diy-envelope-liners, but instead of wrapping paper, I used champagne-colored tissue paper.

Here's how mine turned out:

And our custom stamps (ordered from PictureItPostage.com):

Front of envelopes:

Here is our rehearsal dinner invites:

BLESSING BOWL

Instead of having the standard "Wish Bowl" at the reception, we are having a "Give A Blessing Bowl"; basically it's the same thing, and people can write their favorite memories, stories, advise, etc on them.. but also, there will be a vase that will be the "Take a Blessing" bowl, that will have encouraging and blessing Bible verses on them, that our guests can take home for their families.  It's another way for us to show our gratitude and to actively portray our faith.

Pro-pics:

Non-pro pics:

TEARS OF JOY PACKETS

I also decided to make Tear of Joy tissue packets, both for tears and for guests with allergies:

Here are instructions for the Joy packets:

1- I used 12x12 cardstock in hot pink and wine.  I cut the paper in quarters, so I had 4 pieces of 6x6 paper.  I then cut it according to the measurements below.

2-Then fold according to #1 in the picture below.  You should be folding about 1/2" of "flaps" inward.  Unfold them, and proceed to fold step #2 upward.  Keep this folded upward.

3-Fold according to #3 in the pic below.. then fold in all the "flaps" inwards.  If you desire to have ribbon on the front, punch those holes first, then put your ribbon on.  Also, you can cut off the "flap" that shows at the top of the packet. Then fold the flaps inward and glue (I used super glue that works for paper, make sure the label for the glue says paper).  This is seal the packet, and you can place anything on the front, and place the tissues inside.  Please PM if this doesn't make sense.. it's hard to put directions into words!  :D

RESERVED SIGNS

I made "Reserved" signs for our parents for the ceremony:

They have dark pink ribbon on them, to tie them to the chairs.

For the reception:

CENTERPIECES

The full centerpieces were tall rectangular vases with flowers (burgundy hydreangea, burgundy mums/daisies) submerged in them.  Around the main tall vases will be 3 2.5"x2.5" square vases with white sparkling floating candles in them

Non-pro pic:

They totally complete the ceremony look and feel...

Instructions:

     Materials:

• 5" or 6" styrofoam balls
• silk flowers (I used hydrangeas, mini mums, mini stargazers) with stems cut off (leave about 1/4")
  
• 3/4" to 1.5" ribbon (satin or sheer works)
• acrylic paint (optional)
• thin wood/metal skewer/stick
• low-heat hot glue gun and additional glue sticks

     Directions:

• I painted each ball with wine-colored acylic paint first, so that "open" spots on the pomanders wouldn't show through the flowers... I used a styrofoam pad "brush" to paint them.
• After each ball is dry, take the skewer/stick and poke 1" holes all over the entire surface area of the ball, leaving less than 1/2" of space between each hole.
• Use the skewer/stick to poke a hole all the way from top to bottom in the ball (this hole will be used for the hanging ribbon)
• Leave the skewer/stick in the ball, to mark where your ribbon will go.
• Using the glue gun, put a small amount of glue on a silk flower stem, and push it into one of the holes on the ball; press it down tight
• Do this for every hole, all over the ball, until it's completely covered, and the flowers are "pressed" together tighly.
• After the ball is covered with flowers, take out the skewer/stick (remember where the hole is though!), cut your hanging ribbon to desired length (mine were a good 24"+), and thread both ends of the ribbon through the hole through the center of the ball.
• Tie a double knot on the "bottom" of the ball, where the two ends of the ribbon are pushed through, and put a small splotch of glue over the knot, up against the ball to help hold it in place.

I've been known as the DIY queen...

We placed one bubble wand on each guest's chair at the ceremony:

I bought the cage at Joanns, and super glued on the ribbon on each corner, and treaded beads through with white wire.

Beauty, beauty, beauty!

I've started styling my hair a bit differently, so here's the new inspiration board:

Day-of:

(photos from Prismis's bio)

Here's my 1st trial:

2nd trial

First night as husband and wife!!! *ahem*

We'll be staying at the Wild Lane B&B in the foothills west of Loveland.  We have 2 nights booked there!  It's a gorgoues old rustic cabin that has a jacuzzi tub, a loft, and a fireplace!!  Then after that, it's off to the caribbean!!

Amazing people to work with...

Ceremony and Reception:  Tapestry House (970.472.1010)

Photography:  Ardent Photography (303.990.3831)

Caterer:  Food for Thought Catering (970.231.3018)

DJ: Brian Martinez (970.214.4445)

Cake:  Babette's Feast Catering (best cake on the planet!!) (970.223.0172)

Officiant:  Pastor Chuck Green (from Message of Life Ministries church, Loveland CO)

Horse Carriage:  Colorado Carriage and Wagon

String Quartet:  Nobility Strings (303.772.7856)

Flowers:  Jordan Floral Gardens

Day-of Coordinator: Sandy Aste (friend from our church)

Things Done:
-Dress ($550)
-Accessories (shoes, jewelry, veil) ($450)
-Lingerie ($100)
-Birdcage card holder ($25)
-Reception cards ($20)
-Maps for invites ($5)
-"Leave a Blessing" cards ($5)
-"Receive a Blessing" cards ($5)
-Tear of Joy packets ($5)
-Engagement pics
-Book vendors/venue
        -Photog-$1900 (PAID OFF) --final meeting done
        -DJ-$700 (PAID OFF!) -- final meeting done
        -Florist $594 (PAID OFF!) -- final meeting done
        -Officiant (free) -- final meeting done
        -String Quartet-$550 (PAID OFF!) -- final song list given
        -Horse Carriage-$245 (PAID OFF!) -- done and confirmed
        -Tapestry House venue-$2950 (PAID OFF!) -- walk through done
        -Cake-$480 (PAID OFF!) --final meeting done
        -Rehearsal dinner photographer (free) --final meeting done
        -DOC (free) --friend from church -- final meeting done
-Wedding website
-Honeymoon lingerie ;)
-Finished invitations ($80-100)
-favor tags ($5)
-Try on mom's wedding dress (eek)
-something borrowed, new, blue
-Bathroom basket sign
-8 pomanders
-2nd engagement photo session
-Ordered garter!! (from gartersbykristi on etsy.com, $25)
-Got bustle done on dress ($85, october)
-S-T-D card emails (october)
-first hair trial/makeup trial
-ordered RB's tux ($15!!)
-flowergirl bracelet
-rent cake stand ($20)
-bought Hersheys cherry cordial kisses for sign in table ($17)
-birth control (november)
-Moss covered letters
-Bought hair barette :)
-Ordered CO visitor guides for OOTers
-Bought 8 20" square centerpiece vases (micheals, $8 each)
-Bought 8 orchid stems for vases (michaels, $6.50 each)
-Bought 13 11" square centerpiece vases (michaels, $6 each)
-Bought 13 9.5" square vases (hobby lobby, $7 each)
-slideshow--windows movie maker
-bought 10 36" shepherds hooks (hobby lobby, on sale $5 each)
-bought groom's tux (Mens Warehouse, $150)
-bought 35 3x3x3" vases (walmart and dollar tree, $.97 each)
-Guest sign-in photobook ($28.99, picaboo.com)
-bought unity candle vase (walmart, $2)
-bought groom's ring ($650, Jareds)
-Honor table signs/labels
-envelopes addressed/invites stuffed in envelopes
-buy unity candle holder ($8 hobby lobby)
-bought 4 pink paper lanters ($4 total, hobby lobby)
-scheduled walk-through (March 9, 3 pm)
-scheduled rehearsal!!!  (May 13, 3 pm)
-make rehearsal dinner invites
-order BMs shoes (DB, $40)
-Bathroom basket items ($15, Dollar Tree)
-get unity candle vase engraved (craft trophy company, $20)
-Bought 42 mini callas (hobby lobby, $.50 each)
-stamps for invites ($1 each, $81 total, ordering from pictureitpostage.com)

-ordered my custom rings (Cooper&Cooper jewelry, $5174)
-booked honeymoon (7 day cruise to caribbean, NYC, $1957)
-booked airfare to San Juan (air tran, $400)
-booked hotel in NYC (hotwire.com, Hotel Mela, 4 star, $123)
-booked airfare home from NYC (frontier, $240)
-booked hotel in San Juan (priceline.com, courtyard marriott, $107)
-Buy LED tealights ($1 each, ebay)
-Renew FI's passport ($75)
-set bridal shower date (april 18)
-made bridal shower favors (votives with flowers)
-organize everything into seperate boxes for decorating
-invites sent out (march 6)
-venue walk through (march 9)
-ordered 36 more square candles ($8.20 for 12 white, $35 total)
-ordered FG dress (ebay, $50, March)
-made FI's wedding gift dream book
-bought FI's tux shirt and shoes ($85, als formalware)
-bought 50 favor boxes ($25 for 100 boxes, white with hot pink ribbon, michaels)
-ordered tea for favor boxes ($32 for 150 bags, April)
-Finalize vows/ceremony
-Bought 25 wine glasses for rehearsal dinner ($1 each, Dollar Tree)
-Baskets for programs and ToJ packets
-Ordered 30 paper lanterns ($72, Asianideas.com, hobby lobby=pink lanterns)
-got e-pic enlarged and framed for guestbook table
-got slate plaque with name and mission statement made ($25 each)
-OOT welcome kits ($1 each)
-flowers for FG hair
-silver/gold hershey kisses
-frame photo (guestbook table 11x14")
-parents gifts (mothers' necklaces done, hankies)
-bought ribbon for cake
-bought parasols (hobby lobby, pink parasols $4)
-get marriage license (April 20, $10)
-Wedding programs (april)
-Get songs to string quartet
-Rent tux vest ($30)
-Get GM measured, rent GM tux ($105)
-buy wine ($200)
-delivered ribbon to Babette for cake
-sharpie for guestbook and blessing cards
-get FG dress altered/RB tux hemmed
-Bought 12 hydrangea bunches (hobby lobby, $2 each)
-trimmed chiffon fabric for hanging on altar/gazebo
-label boxes
-Moms' gifts done (handmade necklaces, embroidered hankies, $20 each)
-BM gifts done (flip flops and handmade necklaces, $15)
-GM gift done (money clip multi-tool, Things Remembered, $25)
-FG gifts done (bracelet, bubble bath, socks, rhinestone purse/bag)
-Cut fish line for paper lanterns, put on cardboard sheet to keep organized and un-tangled
-Dads' gifts done (watch, tie clip)
-everything coordinated between DOC, venue staff, readers, etc.
-bought rehearsal dinner dress (JCPenney, $35) and earrings (Kohls, $5)
-dropped off rhinestones for flowers to florist (week before wedding)
-called/verified vendors (week before wedding)
-combined bank accounts!!
-move FI's stuff into garage
-RB gift (legos set, $20)
-parents' wedding photos and frames (Hobby Lobby)
-bought wine for rehearsal dinner
-bought table cothes/plates/cups/bowls for rehearsal dinner
-picked up tuxes
-OOT welcome bags to hotels
-emergency kits (partially completed)
-attended rehearsal (May 13, 3 pm)
-attended rehearsal dinner
-bought more scrapbook pages for dream book
-packed for wedding night
-picked up cake stand
-GOT MARRIED!!!!!!!
-HM!!! 
-deposited checks/money

My something old: mom's diamond necklace attached to my bouquet

My something new:  dress, tiara, shoes :)

My something borrowed:  FI's parent's silver cake serving set                                                

My something blue: rhinestones on shoes

Bride's Survival Kit:

Ibuprofin                                                                                                                                          Clear Nail Polish                                                                          &nb sp;                                                       
Moist Towlettes
Chapstick
Water
Snacks (that aren't messy!)
Mints
Tissues
Sewing Kit
Straws
Bandaids
Corsage Pins
Deodorant
Q-Tips
Cotton Balls
Earring Backs
Hair Brush
Tooth Brush
Nail Polish Remover
Safety Pins
Scissors
Stain Remover
Hairspray
Bobby Pins
Antacid
Tampons
Dental Floss
Double Sided Tape
Emery Board
Super Glue
Lotion
Nail Clippers
Toothpaste                                                               &nb sp;                           

Groom's Survival Kit:

Toothbrush
Dental Floss
Deodorant
Antacid
Razor
Styptic Pencil
Bandaids
Lint Brush
Scissors
Bout. Pins
Wrinkle Remover
Cologne
Water
Snacks (that aren't messy)
Toothpaste
Mints
Tylenol
Tissues
Shaving Cream
Nail Clippers
Sewing Kit
Safety Pins
Stain Remover
Black Socks
Chapstick

We booked a 7 day Princess cruise to the Caribbean, May 17-24, 2009.  We went to San Juan, St. Thomas, Antigua, Barbuda, and Bermuda, then sail up to NYC.  We spent 2 extra days in NYC and explore!  Really excited!!  We went snorkeling and parasailing in St Thomas, and ziplining in Antigua, and snokeling/tanning in Bermuda!  In NYC, we went to Ellis Island, ground zero, Central Park, and out to dinner to Esca.

Here's some of the outfits I'll be wearing (for pillow talk of course)

Honeymoon To-Do List/Things to Pack:

• passports
• licenses
• marriage license
• boarding passes
• hotel reservation numbers
• extra pair of contacts
• plan B pills
• extra birth control pills
  
• glasses
• give copy of itinerary to parents
• credit cards
• cash
• clothes/swin suits/sandals/formal ware
• lingerie
• tioletries
• check in baggage online (MAY 15!!)
  
• books
• sunblock
• call princess for onboard credit
• phone charger
• sunscreen
• AAA membership card
• sunglasses

Honeymoon pics!!!  We had an AMAZING time, it was the perfect length, perfect choice in travel, everything went great!!  Here are some of our photos.. enjoy!

<-- Caribbean Princess ship during embarkation

<-- Embarkation

<-- in front of our state room door

<-- stateroom

<-- DH modeling for pic ;)  -- balcony!

<-- Lido deck, pools, outdoor theatre

<-- St Thomas island

<--on the boat to parasail in St Thomas

<-- parasailing!

<-- boat driver pouring our rum swizzle drinks

<-- on way back from snorkeling Turtle Cove

<-- biiiiig boat

<-- yes, iguanas sunning on the rocks

<-- isn't he cute?!  He's smiling!

<-- gorgeous flowers in St Thomas

<-- Antigua steel drum band

<-- Antigua dock

<-- ziplining

<--Antigua

<-- Antiguan sunset

<-- at sea to Bermuda (got the dress at my bridal shower; it's from Maurices)

<-- Bermuda - Nelson dockyard, West End

<--dockyard tour

<-- West End marina, Bermuda

<--Catamaran to snorkel across the bay in Bermuda

  <-- our ship's home port - Hamilton, Bermuda ;)

<-- Atlantic ocean sunset

<--mmm, onboard specialty restaurant, Sabatini's, AMAZING

<-- Espresso cremé brulee

<--celebrating our honeymoon at Crowne Grill

<-- sunrise over the bronx, NYC

<-- Verrazano-Narrows bridge

<--ship parallel parking ;)

<-- 5th Ave, 9 am Sunday morning ;)

We bought the tux from gagas.com (they had a going-out-of-business sale, $15)

We also bought Nicolas a small sword pin to wear, instead of a boutinerre. It's similar to the pic below:

<-- we are calling him the "keeper of the rings", and FI has been teaching him what it means to have that responsibility. 

We are going to have him also be the "keeper of the vows"... we printed our vows and rolled them up like a small scroll, and tid them to the pillow also.

Gifts for flowergirl: (the day before our wedding is her b-day also)

• shower gel/bubble bath
• cute pink/red socks
• handmade bracelet to wear at wedding
• bag/tote
• flowergirl t-shirt

We had only 1 bridesmaid/MoH and 1 groomsman/BM, after a bunch of drama with my other 2 girls. It was the BEST thing!  No drama and much cheaper ;)

Oh for the love of Babette!

We had a French gal make our cake.. she is AMAZING. Her cakes are made european style- so there's not NEARLY as much sugar as american cakes.  And she used 65%+ cocoa for her chocolate.. it's a little slice of heaven!!

We had a square, 3-tier cake, with the bottom tier being a "dummy" cake.. fake.  It saved us money, but also gave us the size of the cake we desired.  The other 2 tiers were cremé bruleé, and chocolate raspberry.

Non-pro:

Here's a list of the things I'll include in the gal's bathroom basket:

-Hair brush

-Q-tips

-Contact solution

-Eye drops

-Lotion

-Nail clipper

-tampons

-pads

-hair spray

-Tums

-Hair ties

-Clear nail polish

-spray deodorant

-lint brush

-breath mints

-asprin, ibuprofin

-bandaids

-bobby pins

-Mouthwash

-nail file

-hand sanitizer

-stain-remover wipes

-cough drops

-dental floss

-sewing kit

Here's my DIY basket:

I bought the basket at Hobby Lobby, and used burgundy chiffon to cover it.  I wrapped champagne chiffon ribbon and thin hot pink ribbon around the whole thing.

...and the two shall become one...

Inspiration                                Our design                             Pro-pic

Ordered it from gartersbykristi on Etsy.com! It was perfect!

Sign in the room getting ready...          We had this sign up at the B&B room...

Wedding Slideshow

Our DJ did our uplighting for free.. So we got 2 uplights for either side of the sweetheart table, in pink.

This was the look we were going for:

Pro pics:

(you can see the pink lights on the wall.. they were the perfect addition to the atmosphere during the whole thing!)

Here's is my vow written to Brian:

I respect you and I love you, Brian. I thank the Lord for the love that has bound our hearts and lives together in this fellowship of marriage. As we enter in on the privileges and joys of life's most holy relationship and begin together the great adventure of building a Christian home, I will look to you as head of our house. The Lord instructs me as the one who will be your wife to submit to you as unto Him. God created woman to be man's helper. It is my desire to follow this teaching. I yearn to be trustworthy as your wife, loving and serving you in all circumstances as long as He gives me life on this earth.

Today I am reminded of the verse, James 1:17 which says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." I know with all my heart that you are a perfect gift, given to me by God’s grace. With all of my being, I make the following pledge to you: I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to unconditionally respect and honor you, to support you in your dreams, to laugh with you, and to comfort you. I promise to love you when life is easy and when it is hard, when our love is simple, and when it is not. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in the highest regard. I promise to always be your best friend. I give you these things today, and all the days of our lives together. I take you, Brian, to be my husband, to respect, honor, and cherish you, and to follow you through life as you follow God in his perfect purpose.

With that, I give you this ring with great honor to wear with love and joy. I pledge to you my absolute faithfulness and support as we face life’s challenges together. I will love you as a part of myself because in the Lord’s sight we shall be one. This is my solemn vow: it is a commitment made in love, kept in faith, and eternally made new.

Here's Brian's vow:

3 years ago, God gave me a new life.  With that life came many other gifts: peace of mind, purpose, forgiveness, guidance.  But more than that, he gave me a friend with whom to share that life: my best friend, the vision that now stands before me.

You showed me passion, with your constant wonder and enthusiasm for God's creation.

You showed me courage, as you stepped away from the familiar time and again to pursue your dreams.

You showed me grace, forgiving me my many faults and accepting me for who I am.

You showed me devotion, staying with me through all manner of difficulty and pain.

You showed me sacrifice, giving up much of what you knew to answer God’s call.

But more than anything, you showed me love, unconditional and steadfast.

You complete me.  I thank God every day that you are in my life.  You inspire me to be a better man.

Therefore, I, Brian David Goff, hereby vow to have and to hold you, Sarah Lynne Norton, and no other; to protect you from any and all dangers that may come against you; to stand by you in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in victory and in defeat; to gladly lay aside my desires and my life for yours; and to strive to love and cherish you as Christ does His Church.

PRO PICS:

At the reception, we had a table with pics of our parents' weddings.  Here was the inspiration pic:

pro pic, day-of:

Non pro-pics, day-of:

We are having a string quartet play, and here's a start of a list of songs they'll be playing:

Before ceremony/guests arriving:

•     Arioso, Bach     LISTEN
  
•     St. Anthony Chorale, Haydn/Brahms   LISTEN
  
•     Divertimento No. 1, mov. 3, Presto, Mozart
•     Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, mov. 1, Bach   LISTEN
  
•     Ein Kleine, Mozart
  
•     Trumpet Voluntary, Purcell   LISTEN
•     The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Handel  LISTEN
  

Seating of mother/grandmother and father:

•     Amazing Grace    
•     still undecided
  

Attendents processional (1 BM, 1 GM, 1 FG, 1 RB):

•     Ode to Joy, Beethoven   LISTEN
  
•     still undecided

Bride's Processional:

•     Canon in D, Pachebel   LISTEN
  

Recessional:

•     Wedding March, Mendelssohn   LISTEN
  

After ceremony/receiving line:

•      One Hand, One Heart, Bernstein   LISTEN
  
•      "Spring" from The Four Seasons, Vivaldi    LISTEN
•      Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, Mov.1, Bach     LISTEN

Here's our ceremony timeline:

Prelude (starting around 5:40 pm)

Seating of the Groom's Grandmother and Mother (6:00 pm)

"Trumpet Tune"................................Purcell

Attendents Processional (6:01 pm)

          "Trumpet Tune"................................Purcell

Lighting of the Wedding Candles (6:02 pm)

We respectfully request that there be no flash photography during the ceremony.

Bride's Processional (6:05 pm)

          "Canon"..........................................Pachebel

Greeting

Giving of the Bride in Marriage (6:07 pm)

Prayer

Scripture Reading (6:09 pm)

         Ephesians 5:21-33

         Romans 15:5-6

Declaration of Intent (6:12 pm)

Exchange of Vows and Rings (6:13 pm)

Lighting of the Unity Candle and Declaration of Goff Mission Statement (6:15 pm)

Declaration and Blessing of Marriage (6:16 pm)

Presentation of the Couple

Recessional and Postlude (6:18 pm)

          "Recessional March"......................Mendelssohn

Please blow wedding bubbles at this time

Release of Guests by Row (6:20 pm)

Here's a rough outline of our ceremony:

Greeting

Welcome and thank you for joining us today! Brian and Sarah have asked all of you to be with them here today to witness their blessed union because each of you has given something of yourselves into their lives. 

Call to Worship

We are gathered here today in the presence of friends and family, together under God, to celebrate the love which Brian and Sarah have for each other, and to join these two lives together on the path that God has laid out before them.  They bring the dreams which bind them together in an eternal commitment. They bring their gifts and talents, their unique personalities and spirits, which God will unite together into one being as they build their life together. We rejoice with them in thankfulness to the Lord for creating this union of hearts, built on friendship, respect and love.

Giving of the Bride in Marriage

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

     "Her mother and I do." (My dad and mom)

Charge to Congregation

Pastor

Prayer/Body

Pastor

Scripture Reading (done by Tim McDowell)

1 Corinthians 13:1-13??

Blessing of the Hands (done by Sandy and Ben Aste)

Brian and Sarah, please turn to face each other. Hold each others hands, so you
may see the gift that they are to you.

These hands you are holding on your wedding day are the hands of your best friend who
promises to love you all the days of your life.

These are the hands that will work alongside yours as, together, you build your future.

These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you throughout the years
as you laugh together and cry together, and as you share your innermost secrets and
dreams.

These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick or console you when you
are grieving.

These are the hands that will give you support as you chase down your dreams.

These are the hands that will work together so that everything you wish for can be
realized.
Together, everything you wish for can be realized.

God, bless the hands that you see before you this day. May they always be held by one
another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of
fear. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their love.
Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in
caring, and devoted to reaching for your perfect purpose.

Vows and Exchanging of Rings

You may pledge your vows now.

      Brian's vow

      Sarah's vow

Pledge/Declaration of Intent

Sarah and Brian, you have made a very serious and important decision in choosing to marry each other today. You are entering into a sacred covenant as life partners in God. The quality of your marriage will reflect what you put into nurturing this relationship. You have the opportunity to go forward from this day to create a faithful, kind, and meaningful relationship. We bless you this day. It is up to you to keep the blessings flowing each and every day of your lives together. We pray for you the wisdom, compassion, and constancy to create a peaceful sanctuary in which you can both grow in love.

Brian, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?

     "Yes, I do. (Brian)

Sarah, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?

     "Yes, I do. (Sarah)

Unity Candle/Mission Statement

The two outside candles have been lighted to represent both your lives in this moment. They are two distinct lights, each capable of going their separate ways. As you join now in marriage, there is a merging of these two lights into one light. This is what the Lord meant when He said, "On this account a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall be one flesh." From now on your thoughts shall be for each other rather than your individual selves. Your plans shall be mutual, your joys and sorrows shall be shared alike. As you each take a candle and together light the center one, you will extinguish your own candles, thus letting the center candle represent the union of your lives into one flesh. As this one light cannot be divided, neither shall your lives be divided.  You will remain united in a Christian home. May the radiance of this one light be a testimony of your unity in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In as much as you have pledged to the other your lifelong commitment of love and devotion, Sarah and Brian, if there is anything you remember of this ceremony, it is that it was the love of God that brought you here today, it is only love which can make your marriage a glorious union and it is by love which your marriage shall endure.

     Brian: We have decided to create a statement that is the essence of what our path and purpose is in this    life.  As part of our family, a Goff family, we build up the dreams of others and stand in the gap for them until they can stand for themselves, glorifying God in all we do.

<light the unity candle>

Declaration and Blessing of the Couple

By the power and authority vested in me and according to the laws of the state of Colorado, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

You may kiss your bride.

Presentation of Couple

Ladies and gentleman, it is my pleasure to be the first to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Brian Goff!

Here's the inspiration pic:

We used these vases and putting candies with wine-colored and champagne-colored wrappers in them on the guest table:

We'll have this photo frame on an easel, next to the guestbook table:

Non-pro pics:

Pros:

I rode into the ceremony in a carriage:

To leave the reception that night, we decided to save some money, and do an "overnight test drive" with one of the local BMW dealers!  So Brian has put in his choice of car for that day, and he surprised me!  It was a silver 5-series:

Color inspirations

        Burgundy calla lillies        Burgundy gerbera daisies

  Hot pink callas             Hot pink hydrangea

          Ivory hydrangea              White alstroemeria

My bouquet inspirations: loose wildflower look (gerberas, callas, hydrangeas, alstromerias)

Bouquet wrapping: I love the satin wrapping with a rhinestone monogram or brooch... 

Corsages/Boutonierres:mix of callas and hydrangeas

I decorated mason jars to hold Karen and I's bouquets day-of:

Pro Pics:

Non-pros:

Instructions:

Materials

1. 1"x12"x36" piece of white styrofoam from any craft store ($5)

2. 525 cu in. bag of spanish moss (I bought 1 bag of spanish moss {super GREEN!} and a smaller bag of brownish moss, $5)

3. Low heat glue gun and LOTS OF GLUE STICKS (I used about 30 when doing mine)

4. Sharpie marker/ colored marker

5. Kitchen knife, non-serrated or serrated will work fine

Step-by-Step

Step 1:  I printed out a letter "G" from Microsoft Word that was in the font style that I desired to use as a template (if you can print out the letter big enough <on a plotter or something> then you could just use the letter and trace it onto the styrofoam)

Step 2: Use a Sharpie to free hand draw or trace the letter on the styrofoam

Step 3: Take the knife and cut out the letter.. be careful to not apply too much pressure on the styrofoam, as it can break pretty easily (glues back together easily too!)

Step 4: After you have the letter cut out, get your moss ready.  I put mine on a huge sheet of paper on the floor (to avoid too much mess).  I tore a bunch out of the bag and ripped it into small pieces/chunks.  I mixed the green moss with the brown moss, to make it more natural looking.

Step 5: Use your hot glue gun to apply glue to a 3"x3" section on the letter.

Step 6: Quickly grab a small chunk of moss and roll it and pack it into a tight ball, and apply it on the letter in the glue.  Press firmly so that the moss gets stuck in the glue completely.  You may have to apply more glue to get all the moss stuck.

Step 7: Continue doing this until the entire letter is covered.

Optional-- I trimmed the extra moss to make it "clean" looking

We will be putting together OOT welcome boxes for our guests, to place in each hotel room. We are planning on using gable boxes or paper gift bags, and putting the following items in each box:

• Welcome letter
• Ft Collins city map
• Colorado Visitor Guide
• Wedding event itinerary
• Contacts sheet
• Local coupons/entertainment
• County natural areas guide/trails, etc.
• 2 bottles of Perfect water
• fruits to snack on (apples, bananas)

Inspiration:

http://www.blissweddingsmarket.com/store/000443.ht

www.treehousestamps.com

Here are my designs for the front welcome signs on the boxes/bags:

She's the most amazing woman!

The dress she picked out to wear was from Dillards in a dark plum color.

I made her a necklace and earrings to match, similar to this:

Classic Rat Pack during dinner baby!

During dinner, we had Dean, Frank, and Sammy:

• Just in Time, Dean Martin
• Sway, Dean Martin
• That's Amore, Dean Martin
• Gentle on my Mind, Dean Martin

• I've Got You Under My Skin, Frank Sinatra
• Fly Me to the Moon, Frank Sinatra
• Come Fly with Me, Frank Sinatra
• The Way You Look Tonight, Frank Sinatra

• Mr Bojangles, Sammy Davis Jr.
• That Old Black Magic, Sammy Davis Jr.
• The Birth of the Blues, Sammy Davis Jr.

For the dancing:

• First Dance - "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton
• Garter- Top Gun "Danger Zone"
• Anniversay Dance-"unchained melody" and "soul mate" by Josh Turner
• Cake cutting- "Sugar Sugar", Archies 
• Grand entrance- supposed to be "He's a Pirate" from POTC, but DJ played wrong song

Must play list:

• "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
• "Still the One" Shania Twain
• "Lost in this moment" Big & Rich
• "Soul Mate" Josh Turner
• "In the Mood" Glen Miller
• "Low" Flo-rida and T-Pain (later in the night)
  
• "Party Starter" Wil Smith (later in the night)
  
• "Electric Slide"
• "Amazed" Lonestar
• "Old Time Rock n Roll" Bob Seger
• "Man I feel like a woman" Shania Twain
• Rat pack songs.. oldies...
• "I Melt" Rascal Flatts
• "Sweet Home Alabama" Lynard Skynyrd
• "Let's get it started" Black Eyed Peas
• "Under Pressure" Queen
• "Life is a highway" Rascal Flatts
• "Pump it" black eyed peas

http://www.danceforceent.com/songlist.html has tons of songs.

http://www.discjockeys.com/top_200.php

http://www.reoentertainment.com/weddingpopularrequests.htm

http://www.energyexpressband.com/weddingsonglist.htm

The start of the fun...

Our rehearsal dinner was in my parents' backyard, and FI's parents grilled.  We had a backyard salmon and tri-tip cookout!  Casual and fun!  For favors, FMIL made wine glass charms for each person's glass.  We also had beer, XS, bottled water... grilled asparagus!

 My rehearsal dress:

<--JC Penney, half off..$35

Pics:

I can't wait to see him waiting at the end of the aisle...

We bought a Versini 1-button tux at Mens Warehouse, on sale for $150. 

Instead of a "traditional" white guestbook that would end up in the closet, we decided to make our own photobook with our engagement pictures as our guestbook.

I made the book through Picaboo.com.  Overall I loved the design program and the number of templates available for use.  The quality of the book was good also, however the back photo on the book is crooked, and there are dents in the front cover.

Non pro-pics, day-of:

April 18, 2009

My colors will be green and pink!!  I'm helping my mom plan it, since she's VERY busy otherwise, and everyone else who would throw me a shower live in WA!!  Here's my favors:

It was at my parents house.

Hors d' oeuvres

• Beef rolls with soy dipping sauce
• Chicken roulades stuffed with rock shrimp, tillamook white cheddar and sun dried tomato ving.
• Spicy shrimp dumplings
• Five spice and honey pork skewers

Salads

• Angel hair pasta with basil pesto and oven dried tomatoes
• Baby field greens with herb vinaigrette

Sides

• Grilled vegetables
• Autunm harvest rice pilaf

Entreés

• Center cut sirloin with wild mushrooms, onions and maytag bleu cheese.  Served with fat tire demi glace
• Sicilian style chicken roulades stuffed with prosciutto ham, provolone cheese, topped with sauteed artichoke hearts and mushrooms with marsala sauce

Beverages

• Lemonade
• Iced tea
• Water
• Coffee
• Wine

        Wine selection

        -Yellowtail Shiraz (7 bottles)
        -Chateau St. Michelle merlot (7 bottles)
        -Covey Run sauvignon blanc (7 bottles)
        -Covey Run chardonney (7 bottles)

Our caterer set up his tables with these flower arrangements:

Date: Saturday, July 11, 2009

Location: Fruit ranch outside of Wapato, WA

Time: 6 pm

We had a blast!!  DH's family did an AMAZING JOB!!!  They invited about 50 people, and we had 25 people actually show.  They hired a local caterer, and we had a buffet of mini BBQed ribs, chicken tex mex style, fresh fruits, pasta salad, cesar salad, and ice cream for dessert. 

They decorated the tables with photo frames of our wedding, flowers and lanterns.. it was held in the backyard of my sister-in-law and her husband's house, under a beautiful cabana covered in grape vines!

Below: table setup with our wedding photos for guests to look at

Below: The cabana and pool (covered with tarp)

Below: Table centerpieces

Below: Grounds and inside of house... the house was built in 1926!  They're in the process of rennovating it

Below: Party!  :)  Most everyone left by 9 pm, but a few of us sat around drinking and chatting until almost midnight!

Below: on our way back to Seattle to fly home, we went over White Pass, and through Mt Rainier Nat'l Park.  Soooooo gorgeous!  On our way, we stopped by DH's parents' cabin to show my parents.

Below: When we got over to Seattle, we ate at Ivars on Pier 54.  It's a tradition of ours to eat there whenever we're in Seattle.  Amazing fresh fish and seafood!  We also went to the Pike Place Market to watch the flying fish.