Wedding present

Dave and I had a hard time deciding what to get Bob & Melea for a wedding present. We didn't want to get them something off their registry, we wanted something more original. Dave's initial thought was artwork, but that is difficult for us to buy, I can't imagine buying it for Bob & Melea, they certainly have their own style and have just moved, so who knows how they will be decorating their new place.

A few of the blogs I read (www.thepioneerwoman.com & www.dooce.com) have featured custom pet portraits by a few different artists and I really liked what I saw. This was also while I was looking for a present for Bob and Melea. The portrait style I thought would fit them and their style best was from www.doghousepetportraits.com. Kristin was awesome to work with and did such a great job capturing Mr. Fender from the photo I sent her. Bob & Melea loved the portrait almost as much as they love Mr. Fender!

Wedding weekend

We had a long 3.5 day weekend! Dave and I left Dylan in the capable hands of Grandma Carolyn on Thursday afternoon and headed up to Johnson City to check into the Carnegie Hotel to start the festivities for Bob and Melea's wedding. We rented one of the presidential suites at the hotel to serve as Melea's bachelorette party headquarters. After some decorating we had it in appropriate bachelorette party mode. All of the girls had arrived by 8pm so we headed to Jack's Grill for dinner. The food, drinks and stories were great! After dinner we made our way back to the hotel and had Melea open her presents and just caught up.

Friday morning we all had appointments for mani/pedis at 10:30am. I'll admit it was a little difficult to get up, get the room in order and checked out in time to leave for our appointment, but we made it! After our appointment and lunch I was lucky to have a little free time to spend back at the hotel relaxing and getting ready for the rehearsal that started at 5pm. The rehearsal and dinner went smoothly. The dinner was a lot of fun, Bob had all NINE of his groomsmen tell funny stories about things they had happen to them or that Bob was involved in. Luckily the bridesmaids didn't have to do that! We all just got a very sweet introduction from Melea. A few of us headed to the bar after the dinner, but we didn't stay out too late, we were wiped out after a long day!

Bob & Melea at the rehearsal dinner.

The big day! Saturday Dave and I were lucky and got to sleep in (note to people without children, get all the sleep you can now!). Then I had to start getting ready as the bus was going to pick the ladies up at 1:30 so we could be at the church by 2pm to start getting ready and have our hair done. I was able to make it downstairs to the reception room at the hotel and see Melea for a little bit which was great. The cakes had arrived and they looked great! The room was mostly decorated and looked really good too.

Ballroom at the Carnegie Hotel all set up for the reception.

The cake. Yum!

The wedding started right on time at 5:30pm and I don't think there was a dry eye in the church. Melea looked beautiful in her dress and veil and the wedding party looked great too!


The reception was lots of fun too, Dave did a great job with his best man speech and the food and dj were excellent.

Congratulations Bob & Melea! We were so honored to be a part of your wedding!

To see all our photos from Bob & Melea's wedding click here.

Two-fer Tuesday! It's back!

Dave and I at Bob and Melea's rehearsal dinner.

Dave and I with the happy couple!

Congrats Bob and Melea!

a whole lot of random

What a week it's been! Dave left for a golf trip to Ireland last Tuesday and I have been sick since last Tuesday night. What timing I have!! My illness started off with a sore throat on Tuesday night then morphed into an fabulous sinus infection that has now grown into another sore throat, cough and general feeling of horribleness. Oh, and Bob and Melea's wedding is this weekend. So I went to the doctor (or the walk-in clinic at the Wal-greens by our house b/c I don't have a primary care doctor, I know, terrible right!) but they got me in right away and that's how I found out I have a sinus infection and not strep throat, which is good. I've got some amoxicillin, nose spray and cough medicine to get me through the next few days. I'm generally not a going to the doctor type of girl, but with the wedding coming up this weekend I didn't think having the plague would be very attractive.

I just realized I didn't tell you what shoes I picked to wear with my bridesmaid dress. Well, neither of the Nine West ones I bought made the cut so I returned them. I realized that I would need to find something strappy to go with the dress and found these Chinese Laundry Sandals at DSW. I also realized I needed to find a dress to wear to the rehearsal so I made a trip to Ann Taylor Loft to see what they had and found a great red dress (on sale, plus 40% off!) and got a pair of Jessica Simpson camel colored shoes to go with it.

I am leaving to go to the Tri-Cities on Thursday for Melea's bachelorette party. Grandma Carolyn is flying in on Wednesday and will watch Dylan for Dave and I while we are busy with the wedding this weekend. Dave will come up to the Tri-Cities on Friday for the rehearsal and then we have the wedding on Saturday! We are so excited for Bob and Melea, I know Saturday is going to be a great day for them!

Back to Ireland, Dave had a great trip! They played 5 courses, 6 rounds of golf in 6 days! Dave said his favorite course was the first one they played, Waterville Golf Links. They also played Old Head (36 holes), Ballybunion, Tralee and Killarney Golf Club. He said it was rainy and windy on the courses, but they all still had an unbelievable trip. His hotel was awesome and the food was really good too. We will try to get an Ireland re-cap out in the next few days so Dave can tell you more about the golf courses and what he ate (black ink squid pasta, anyone?) and put up some pictures.

What shoes?

Melea and Bob's wedding is going to be here before we know it and I really need to get on finding some shoes to wear with my super cute bridesmaid dress. (Yes, those words can go in the same sentence!)

The dress is on its way... (only no broach and it's slate blue in dupioni silk)

Now, what shoes to wear? What do you guys think? Boonkers or Lava?

Boonkers

Lava

Here's my dilemma. I like the Boonkers better, but I think they won't be as comfortable as the Lava. I ordered both to see what shoes are more comfortable. Or does anyone else know of any other dark silver/pewter colored shoes that would look cute?

Photos from Ninewest.com and Watters.com