So I just realized that I haven't updated on the wedding planning in a while. Things are coming right along! We've booked all of the big things, so we're just down to the details now - and trust me, there are plenty. I am SO happy with all of the vendors we've chosen. (To see them, visit our wedding webpage at
www.mywedding.com/lorinandlogan.) I feel like I really did my research (as always) and found some of the best vendors in Dallas that in addition to being insanely talented, they truly do their jobs because they enjoy making people happy.
We've ordered our wedding invitations and should have those within the next couple of months. This leaves me plenty of time to practice my good handwriting before I have to address them and send them out in mid February. (Its probably weird, but I actually love to write. Not as in novels, but as in handwriting. So I'm actually pretty stoked about getting to address the tons and tons of invitations.)
The picture of us above was taken the other day after we went cake tasting! We tried two different places, and even though I'd love to keep trying delicious cakes, we fell in love with the first place we went - Elena's Cakes. She was wonderful, and the cakes were fantastic! We tried 8 different flavors, and if you know either Logan or me, you won't find it odd at all that my cake will be chocolate and his will be vanilla. I l-o-v-e chocolate, and he prefers vanilla. So my cake will be chocolate kahlua with chocolate buttercream filling, iced with white buttercream icing, and his cake will be an apple butter cake with apple butter filling, iced with milk chocolate icing. We didn't actually get to try our combinations of cakes and icings (since most brides have white cake and most grooms have chocolate cake), so Elena is letting me come back tomorrow to taste the cakes with the icings we've chosen. She is wonderful! I don't have any pictures of what our cakes will look like, but she designed them on paper for us and they are perfect.
Now on to my favorite part - flowers! We've chosen to work with A Stylish Soiree and couldn't be happier. Their style of floral design is exactly what I was hoping for - lush, fluffy, soft flowers with small hints of more structured flowers (like orchids and gardenias) for texture. They have such creative ideas, and I can't wait to see everything all put together. The day we're getting married is actually right in the middle of cherry blossom season (which only lasts 3 weeks each year), so we're going to take advantage of that and have cherry blossom branches flown in to be the focal point of our tall centerpieces at the reception. Below is an example of some floral arrangements they've done in the past using cherry blossom branches. Ours will actually be in tall glass vases with hydrangeas, roses, peonies and tulips at the top of the vase, surrounding the branches. Of course we'll have tons of candles on the tables with the flowers too.
Here's an example of what I think Logan's (and all the groomsmen's) boutonnieres will look like - a pale pink cymbidium orchid.
A bouquet similar to what mine will look like. Mine will have a mixture of pale pink and white flowers, including peonies, hydrangeas, gardenias and orchids.
The bridesmaids will have bouquets similar to this. They will include varying shades of pink hydrangeas, peonies and orchids.
We're also SO excited about our DJ, Colby Logan, who will also provide our event lighting and large chinese lanterns. I was able to find a picture of his DJ booth and some chinese lantern he hung over a dance floor. We will have something similar to this!
I am a HUGE fan of event lighting. I think it adds so much to the overall feel of the room. We will have not only uplighting around the room (that can change colors throughout the night to match the mood) but also floral pinspotting on all of the tables. I love how this looks. It really makes the flowers pop!
Examples of how uplighting really enhances the room. (All of the lighting in these pictures was done by our guy, Colby Logan!)
I'm also really excited about our photographer, BluDoor Studios. Since we haven't taken our engagement pictures yet, I found a couple of pictures they took at weddings that I liked.
All in all, everything is really coming together, and it's going to be beautiful! We still need to pick out table linens, and start thinking about the ceremony order and all of the "first dance" songs, but we've still got 5 months to plan. Be checking your mail over the next few weeks for the Save the Date magnets!
Logan and I got our first wedding gift in the mail the other day. Aunt Bari and Uncle Jeff sent us the Waterford toasting flutes we registered for! They are beautiful. They gave us permission to have a pre-wedding toast with them, and so we did! (Who says you can't watch football and drink champagne?!) 
So I just realized that I haven't updated on the wedding planning in a while. Things are coming right along! We've booked all of the big things, so we're just down to the details now - and trust me, there are plenty. I am SO happy with all of the vendors we've chosen. (To see them, visit our wedding webpage at www.mywedding.com/lorinandlogan.) I feel like I really did my research (as always) and found some of the best vendors in Dallas that in addition to being insanely talented, they truly do their jobs because they enjoy making people happy. 
Here's an example of what I think Logan's (and all the groomsmen's) boutonnieres will look like - a pale pink cymbidium orchid. 
A bouquet similar to what mine will look like. Mine will have a mixture of pale pink and white flowers, including peonies, hydrangeas, gardenias and orchids. 
The bridesmaids will have bouquets similar to this. They will include varying shades of pink hydrangeas, peonies and orchids. 
We're also SO excited about our DJ, Colby Logan, who will also provide our event lighting and large chinese lanterns. I was able to find a picture of his DJ booth and some chinese lantern he hung over a dance floor. We will have something similar to this! 
I am a HUGE fan of event lighting. I think it adds so much to the overall feel of the room. We will have not only uplighting around the room (that can change colors throughout the night to match the mood) but also floral pinspotting on all of the tables. I love how this looks. It really makes the flowers pop! 
Examples of how uplighting really enhances the room. (All of the lighting in these pictures was done by our guy, Colby Logan!)
All in all, everything is really coming together, and it's going to be beautiful! We still need to pick out table linens, and start thinking about the ceremony order and all of the "first dance" songs, but we've still got 5 months to plan. Be checking your mail over the next few weeks for the Save the Date magnets! 
My good friend Whitney recently got engaged to her boyfriend Cody, and she's asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding! I am so honored that she asked me to be one of the people standing up there with her. I've known Whitney for several years now - since she started working as a nurse with me on the cardiac floor. She is such a genuinely good person with a sweet and caring heart, and a truly great friend. She's also one of my bridesmaids, and I think it's so special that we'll both be supporting each other on one of the most important days of our lives. 
So I had the WORST day at work the other day. I worked for 13 hours, didn't get a lunch, got maybe half a bathroom break, and ran around like crazy the entire day. So on my way home I decided to cheer myself up. I stopped by the grocery store in the gayborhood (which is known for having fantastic flowers - at great prices!) and picked up these beauties and a bottle of wine for myself. Who says I can't buy myself hydrangeas and pinot grigio and end my day on a happy note! 
It's Fall, Y'all!! My sweet mom sent me this "happy fall" present. I think it's so cute! Other than the fall scented candles I have all over the place, this is the only fall decorating I've done, so I'm glad she gave it to me. It's a little daunting to realize that Christmas is just 5 1/2 weeks away, and I've done absolutely no shopping, and obviously no decorating. Do I want to buy a real tree again this year? Last year was my first real one, and it was a lot of work... but it smelled oh so good... Ah, there's still 5 weeks to decide. I'll just enjoy my fall pumpkins for now! Thanks mom!
After doing tons and tons of research (if you know me, you know I literally mean I did an insane amount) Logan and I have decided to go to Calabash Cove in St. Lucia for our honeymoon! This place is perfect and is exactly what we were looking for - somewhere with a gorgeous view, a great beach, and secluded enough that we can just relax in the peace and quiet. Calabash Cove just opened in February of this year, and isn't your typical mega-resort. There are only 22 rooms, so it's pretty private. If any of you are looking to take a vacation in the near future, you should seriously look into this place. Since they're still so new, they are offering amazing deals right now, and they've gotten nothing but glowing reviews on websites like TripAdvisor.com. 
Here's the dock where we'll have our private dinner. 
The first night, we'll be staying in one of the swim up suites. (The Waters Edge Cottages are booked until the following night.) We don't mind at all. It will be cool to get to try out two different types of rooms. 
These rooms are literally right in front of the pool. What a great view!
We'll spend the remaining 6 nights in one of the Waters Edge Cottages - and they are amazing. Do you see the ripe bananas hanging from the tree right off the patio? Each one is 1000 square feet with a wrap around porch, private plunge pool, and outdoor shower. Oh, and a hammock!
Sunset at the Cottage.
