**As I'm starting to add more I am making some of it only viewable by friends. I am interested in corresponding with other brides and getting feedback! If you're interested, please add me!**

I have been a member since June 2009, BUT I just got engaged on September 24th and have finally changed my role from "Just Looking" to "Bride"!

The Proposal: We bought a house that day and when we were walking into it the first time he opened the door and said, "Well, I guess I should carry you in."  I told him you only do that after you get married and he immediately dropped down to one knee and pulled out the ring!  I thought he was joking!  Of course I said "yes!" and he carried me through the door. We then went to have a drink at our favorite restaurant.  When we walked outside onto the restaurant's porch I found his and my parents hiding!  My parents had flown in just for the night from Maryland!  I lost it.  It was the perfect proposal.  I am so happy I can't stand it!

We will be getting married in September of 2010 in Corolla, NC in the Outer Banks.  We met there about 4 years ago working in a restaurant.  He was the bartender and I was the hostess.  Afterwards, we started flying back and forth from Miami of Ohio where I went to college and East Carolina where he was.  We still spent a lot of time in the Outer Banks during the summers and then I moved here for good.  What started as a "summer romance" that turned into a lifetime!

Our Babies-

Jackson and Dakota- our children. spoiled children.

My first inspiration board!

We have booked "The Blue Lady" in the Corolla, NC on Sept. 7, 2010 for our reception and will be having our ceremony at Hunter's parents' house in Corolla Light on the Sound.  They have a beautiful backyard.

I am figuring out space logistics, etc. and I just found a company online that will find companies that can rent you plexi-glass or plywood pool covers to add more space to your event location.  This would be GREAT, but I am worried about the cost.  Has anyone seen or done this before??

Here is the site:  http://www.walkonwaterentertainment.com/OverWater.htm

The link below is to our photographer's teaser video of professional pictures-

 Professional Picture Teaser- Island Photography- You Tube Video

Only two know so far, but I had souvenir t-shirts from the OBX (where the wedding is) screen printed to say "Bridesmaid" or "Maid of Honor" with the date and made each one a card with a collage of pictures.  Since most of them are far away I mailed these to them.  The one I asked in person I didn't make a card, but took her to dinner and handed her the shirt.  They're in the mail so I'm waiting for phone calls any day!  

This dress was my favorite.  After I decided it was my #1 the girl helping us found out that it is discontinued and we can't order it.  I had to decide today... Because I had just started I wasn't ready to decide yet!  It is on hold until Tuesday, but I still think I might continue to look.  I REALLY want to take a trip to NYC to Kleinfeld before I buy one too....  But I love the shape of this one!

This one was #2...  I brought in a picture that looked almost like this exactly!  Funny how your mind can change as you start to try things on!  I don't like it anymore!

So we recently bought a new home (foreclosure) that needs a lot of work and have been trying to decide since we got engaged a couple months ago whether or not we want an engagement party.  We really want a way to show our friends the new house and I (in particular) want an engagement party.  The house still needs a lot of work and we're glad that this will give us some sort of deadline.  SO we decided today that if were going to do it we will have to do it by the end of January.  I JUST ordered the invitations so I guess we're going through with it now! 

Here is what my invites look like:

Are you all having engagement parties?

                             Caroline and Hunter’s Wedding Planning Timeline

    Tuesday September 7, 2010 Outer Banks Wedding

 As you can see- I'm not real far- but the next 2 weeks I will be getting a lot done.  There is a wedding expo for the OBX during the weekend of 9/10 where I plan to talk to a lot of vendors.

To be completed by the end of December:

~Decide on “theme” or style of event which should carry through on save the date letters, invitations, decorations, ceremony programs, etc, attire, florals, etc.

~Ceremony and Reception Venue Selected and Contracted

~Wording for save the date letters completed

~ Invitation list in rough draft, addresses for guests researched

~Hotel room blocks obtained.

~Shop for wedding dress, decide on rings

~Remember to send Nannette copies of contracts as you confirm them.

~Begin equipment rental order (tent, tables, chairs, linen, dance floor) 8% discount at Metro if order confirmed by end of year (you can still make changes as needed)

To be completed by end of January:

~Attend the Wedding show on the OBX January 9/10 if you are able

~Wedding Ceremony time selected (7:23PM is sunset)

~Set up wedding website if you are doing this.

~Save the date letters mailed

~ Review likes/dislikes for invitations

~Choose bridesmaid attire, groom and groomsmen attire

~Consider your budget for a honeymoon and book by the end of February.

~Interview and book pastor

~Interview florists and get proposals/book

~Consider back up plan for reception, if need be, and set into motion.

~Interview and book ceremony music vendors.

~Backup venue selected (in case of tropical storm).

~Interview and contract reception music

~Interview photographers and get proposals/book

~Interview caterers and get proposals/book

To be completed in February and March:

~Decide on what type alcohol you want, and who will provide

~Get Passport if needed.

~Decide on type cake, choose vendor, and secure contract.

~Review options for shuttle service or transportation. Book with rough outline of time frame (We can tweak it later)

~Book honeymoon.

~Finalize guest list and verify addresses that may have not been correct from your save the date cards mailed out.

To be completed by the end of April:

~Review options for welcome bags, itineraries, favors, printed material

~Book salon appointments (hair, nails, makeup) Decide on hair style, makeup

~Secure rental items with deposit if not taken care of by now

~Work on timeline, layout, flow of the ceremony/reception

~Review payment schedule and layout plans for making payments

~Obtain event insurance, liability insurance and send information to Whalehead Club

~Order invitations

To be completed by the end of May:

~Work on ceremony vows, readings, ceremony music and finalize

~Choose first dances and give information to reception musicians

~Decide when to get your marriage license (up to 60 days prior)

~Review payment schedule and make payments by due dates

~Finalize floral proposal, menu selections, bar selections, talk to photographer about likes, dislikes

~Review expenses for bar, selections, estimated quantities.

~Work on timeline for day of wedding/reception with Nannette’s help

~Invitations should be in your possession, proofed for accuracy

To be completed in June/July:

~Address invitations July 12-16th

~Mail invitations July 18^th with an RSVP date of August 20^th

~Finalize attendant gifts, speeches for toasts, and begin a packing list

~Finalize first dances, music selections for reception.

~Work on a “must have” photography list of family groupings, school friends, etc.

~Event order in rough draft sent to you by Nannette for review (includes all contacts, vendors, timeline, schedule, checklist)

~Copies of all contracts to Nannette

To be completed by the end of August:

~RSVP by August 6^th- call guests who have not replied to you

~Event order goes out to all vendors, to be followed up by phone call from Nannette

~Communicate with planner on RSVP’S- check caterer contract for guest count guarantee due date

~Review all contracts, payments, with Nannette.

~ Adjust rental order based on guest count.

~Gather items for toiletry baskets for restrooms (insect repellent, especially)

~Donate your bride magazines to another bride to be!

~Work on tan

~Begin a packing list, pack.

~Review your honeymoon schedule, pack.

~Finalize salon appointments, activities such as golf, fishing, etc.

~Create a “needs” list for any homes that will be used as a “host” home (toilet paper, trash bags, paper towels, bug spray, etc)

~Gather assistance to put together welcome bags, deliver them, etc. once on the obx

~Get to the Outer Banks as fast as you can and enjoy your well planned wedding festivities!!

The weekend after New Years I ventured in the cold to New York City to look for my dress.  It was a huge hassle for me to get there from Virginia Beach and my mom to get there from Maryland.  I made it work though because I HAD to go to Kleindeld from "Say Yes to the Dress"!  My FSIL and best friend from college live near and in the city so they came along and we all trekked through FREEZING NYC to Kleinfeld.

This is the dress!  It is a Henry Roth (called "Helena") and the sash is going to be taken off and I am going to give it more of a sweetheart neckline.  It has some sparkle to it-  I might decide to add a little more as it Gets closer :). Everyone from TV was there so we had the best time pointing out people when they walked by!

Me and Randy!Me and Henry Roth 

One of my Maid of Honors, Rebecca (on right), and my FSIL and bridesmaid, Christy (on left).

Everyone there was wonderful. And Randy could not have been more wonderful, letting the annoying fans take a million pictures with him!  After he took the pic with me in my dress he said "Here's my card, call me when you change out of your dress and we will go take one out by the sign since we don't want anyone seeing you in your dress."

Anyone considering going here definitely should.  It was worth every minute of travel.

We went to the OBX wedding expo where I was able to get SO much done.  It was a "one-stop shop" for all vendors in the OBX.  I was able to book my DJ, photographer, cake and caterer all in one day!  It was fabulous! There were also some more obscure vendors like slushie machines and photo booth rentals that started making me think about other fun stuff to include!

So I originally thought that I wanted a plain white cake with orange and pink flowers.  Plain and simple.  Everyone who gets married in the OBX picks either this shiny shell cake or one with two beach chairs on the top of it.  I was going to be DIFFERENT! 

WELL!  At the wedding expo last weekend I saw the shell cakes in person.  They are SO beautiful!  I have changed my mind.  Now, I I am going to follow the OBX tradition and get a shell cake!

Melinda from Just Desserts is booked for the 7th!  I am most looking forward to the tasting! :)

Here they are!  My bridesmaids are all over the country so I was only able to take one to pick them out! However, my two maids of honors were together one weekend and scheduled an appt. to try them on and take pictures to surprise me with!  I loved it!  It is Bill Levkoff Style No. 440 and they are going to be in watermelon (the pink one Katy is holding).

We are probably going to use netbride.  My original quote at the shop was $194 w/ discount.  We were able to get them down to $168, but netbride is down to $124 w/ free shipping!

We were hesitant to have an engagement party, but his sister told us we need to have one so we had one last weekend in our new house (unfinished bathroom and all!).  It went perfectly!  Hunter's sister made nametags, adorable cookies and made us play a "newlyweds game."  After it got dark, all the younger people stayed around and had a beer pong tournament and walked to the bars.  We has  BLAST!  All our friends got to know eachother and are now all talking about the wedding.  Even my best friend from Ohio flew in to surprise me! I'm glad we did it!

For decorations we rented cocktail tables and I bought red roses.  We're getting married in the Outer Banks so I thought it would be a good tie-in to put the OBX stickers on all the vases.  I work for Hershey's so I put a little bit of a Valentine's mix on the tables as well.  It all got eaten!

The cookies had the wedding date and location plus there were some that looked like a wedding dress and tuxedos.  I took a picture with my own camera- once theyre updated I can show you more detailed ones.  These were a GREAT idea!

My mom drew me a Laura Hooper inspired map for our Save the Dates.  Because we met in the OBX I wanted to make the save the dates personal to us and the place.  The restaurant that we worked at and met in is on here as well as Hunter's favorite fish to catch.  Also all of the wedding sites are included.  These are out and now we are on to planning invitations!

We are working with a company that I found online called Prim and Pixie for invitations.  They have been great so far.  We are going to use the below design but the base color will be a shimmery white and the shell will be printed in turquoise.  Instead of the brown ribbon we are using pink and some of the writing will also be in pink.  We are including a map and there are going to have to be instructions because we are shuttling people around and having a trolley stop.  There is no parking on the streets down there so I am trying to make my communication to guests as clear as possible!

They turned out awesome.. Here are some final pics!

We got a little video montage from the photographers today!  Love them :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YBB60XMRkQ

We met our photographers (Island Photography) at the Kitty Hawk Pier in Kitty Hawk, NC in the OBX on a Sunday afternoon and took our pictures.  We had a blast.  I can't wait for the actual wedding pictures!

Here are a few that I love :)

My bridesmaid Katy (and best friend since 7th grade) and her mom put on an awesome bridal shower for me on June 12th.  Complete with pink tableclothes, pictures of me and the fiance, a chocolate fountain, awesome cake and delicious spiked punch!  She even remebered a quote from my AOL profile about my fiance while we were dating a loooong time ago!  I had forgotten about it!  I now want to include it in my wedding somewhere!

 My dress is here and I have fallen in love with it all over again! It makes such a difference when you have it in your size! I could go into the wedding with no alterations!  I think I will have it brought in just a tiny bit, though so I'm not pulling it up all night.  This definitely made the wedding feel real!  So excited!

I was so nervous that it wasn't going to fit!  Wine helped calm my nerves!

A couple weeks ago Hunter surprised me with my wedding present early.  After seeing the movie "The Blindside" with Sandra Bullock I fell in love with her watch.  It was a Toy Watch.  Hunter remembered and decided that was what he was going to get me, but that I would want it early to wear to all my events this summer.  I love it.

I had to have pink shoes for the ceremony and after much trial and error my mom found the perfect ones on clearance at Nordstrom.  They are B.P. Platinum for $35!  They match my bridesmaid dresses and I can't wait to wear them!

I have narrowed it down to one..

Here it is!

Hair and makeup trial with 2 weeks to go!

Veil is for ceremony and flower is for reception.  Wish I had taken the smock off for pictures!

Our florist also does event design so she is doing our flowers and also a couple decorations.  All these picture with orchids will not have orchids in real life.  They are expensive!!!!

My Bouquet:

I once saw an episode from "Say Yes to the Dress" where the bride at the end for a SPLIT second had the hottest pink roses I have ever seen.  My florist says there are roses called "hot ladies" that are probably what I saw. It will look something like this:

Bridesmaid Bouquets:

We are also doing 10 of these in a row at the ceremony that will also be used for the reception in the dunes:

Reception Seated Table Centerpieces:

(With no dark leaves)

Reception Cocktail Table  Centerpieces:

One single lime green orchid with a pink led light from below

We are going to be using this monogram as a decal on the dance floor and bathroom mirror.  I ordered it from etsy.com from ishandmadecreations (she is awesome to communicate with).  My florist will be installing it.

She will also be doing these along the entire length of the top floor of the deck.  They will have little led lights in them and light up at night.

These are really expensive to have someone make for you SO my mom came up with these below for way cheaper.  BEWARE dogs WILL eat giant starfish!  We woke up one morning and my golden retreiver had eaten 2 giant starfish for breakfast and left the crumbs behind.  This is what she made with what was left!

A few weeks before the wedding... preparing the yard and the dog for the ceremony... My fiancee's dad had these urns that we will have revamped and they will be filled with flowers during the ceremony.  Dakota, our Golden Retriever will act as ring bearer.  My mom made his bow.

My bridesmaids received Outer Banks beach bags, OBX towels, coozie, shot glass, beach candy, flip flop lolli pops, a 5-pack for champagne in a can, pack of excedrine a flip flop frame and a card.  I also made-up a "Timeline for the Maids"  with all the information that they each needed for when and where to be.

The groomsmen were given "Survival Kits" as personal beach coolers, airplane bottles, advil, sunscreen and aloe.

For our guests staying the night in a hotel or at a house for the week, I made sure that they received these bags.  They included a welcome letter, bride and groom recommendations on places to eat, a map, information on the area, coupons,bottles of water, cookies, chips, ring pops and door hangers that say "Please do not disturb we are recovering from Hunter and Caroline's Wedding."  To get all the information on the area I went to the Tourism Center and they put together a ton of helpful informatino for me... for free!

My mom went all out and made everything that you see below for the welcome bags, reception and ceremony.  My wedding planner told my mom she needs to start her own business!

All three from Bluenile.com!

Coozies!

My garters in my wedding colors and starfish! (from Luly612 on etsy.com)

Shower given by my fiancee's mom:

Bachelorette including hotel room view of Empire State Building, rooftop bar, champagne brunch, row boating in central park, lingerie shower and a surprise dinner and drag show at Lucky Cheng's:

We had a southern pig picking for all guests that were in town a couple days before the wedding.  It went as planned and everyone grabbed name tags and got to know eachother before the wedding!  I did daisies in mason jars and red and white checkered table cloths.  We had about 60 people there.

I fell asleep on my computer making a slide show for the reception that night...

Got our nails done at a place called Aqua Essence on the water in Duck, NC.  They provided champagne and we brought the food. Great way to relax before the rehearsal.  There was even a National Geographic photographer that came and took pictures of us- he is writing a feature on the OBX for next summer... we decided he wanted to portray drunk blondes in their natural habitat (the spa) :)

Rehearsal....

Rehearsal Dinner....

Groom's cake that I surprised him with- shaped like a cobia fish!

Our bridal party put together a video spoof on Jersey Shore about how Hunter and I met- it was very funny!

After the rehearsal dinner we had all guests that were in town invited to have drinks with us and live music on the back deck of the restaurant.

My Maid of Honor made this for us!  Worked awesome for guests from out of town...  www.carolineandhunter.com

The link below is to the video that our bridal party made and showed at the rehearsal dinner.. it is a spoof on Jersey Shore about how Hunter and I met down at the beach in OBX!

Corolla Shore- Wilfore Wedding- Bridal Party- You Tube Video