How I Tied the Knot: The Socks and Shoes

Previously in the post, tying the knot: the shoes and tying the knot: the sock shot I shared some of my favorite pictures of my shoes and the socks the guys wore. Now, it's time to let you all in on the details behind our footwear and the lessons that I learned from that aspect of our wedding day. And, of course, some pretty pictures to display along the way!

Not sure if I ever gave you a peek at the bridesmaids shoes. Aren't they beautiful!?

The shoes were black satin with a gathered detail along the top that matched the top of the bridesmaids dresses. They were perfect in every way. What's even better?! They were buy one get one half off at Charlotte Rouse. Each shoe factored out to be about $17 each. I gave them to my bridesmaids as gifts.

Lesson learned #8: Check every store for potential bridesmaids shoes. Don't just limit your bridesmaids to dyables they will never wear again! Everyday mall stores have cute (and colorful) shoes that can be turned into bridesmaids shoes in a heartbeat. You just have to search for them.

I know I already shared shots of my plum shoes with you here, but here's another. And the best part?! $39.99.


Lesson learned #9: I found my shoes at Bakers. Don't settle for white bridal shoes that you don't even really like. It's not a rule anymore that brides have to wear white shoes. See lesson learned #8 and look at your favorite stores (and on-line) for shoes that will make you happy and give you that bridal glow.

The socks were a gift to the groomsmen that we purchased at banana republic. The deal: buy three at $6.50 each. So the 7 socks for the GM plus a pair for Chris cost us a little over $50.



Lesson learned #10: Look at stores like j. crew and gap along with banana republic for argyle socks throughout the year. They make for great GM's gifts and great sock shots!

previously in the series, "how i tied the knot": getting ready, our first look, bouquets and boutonnieres
all pictures by: nicole green. please link back to tying the knot when posting any of these pictures.

How I Tied the Knot: Bouquets and Boutonnieres

Previously in the post, tying the knot: bouquets and boutonnieres, I shared some of my favorite pictures of our flowers from our big day. Now, it's time to let you all in on how I developed my vision for the flowers, dealt with the florist, and the lessons that I learned from that aspect of our wedding day. And, of course, some pretty pictures to display along the way!

This was my inspiration behind my bridesmaids bouquets. I told my florist to take out the peach and marigold (leaving just the plum and raspberry) but that I wanted the same flowers with the same fullness. I went in to see a trial version of the bridesmaids bouquets. And I cried. In front of the florist. Perhaps only one or two tears rolled down my cheek, but I cried all the same. It was horrid. The peach/marigold was quite present and apparently my raspberry translated into her hot pink. Thus,

Lesson learned #1. No matter how much it costs, ask to see a mock-up of your/your bridesmaids bouquets. I would have been sobbing the majority of the morning of our wedding day had I not seen that sample and had the time to sit with the florist and get it straight. I gave her a ribbon of what "raspberry" meant to me, so that she could order the dahlias in the correct color. So if you are picky, like me, about what colors you want your flowers to be, give your florist a sample of ribbon or cloth to work with.

At the end of the day, the bridesmaids bouquets turned out lovely.

After seeing the disastrous first mock-up of my bridesmaids bouquet, I was scared to think what my bouquet was going to end up looking like. So I scrapped any notion of a bouquet that would pop with color. I went with an all white fluffy bouquet. And the result (of spider mums, button mums, and asters) was beautiful. But what made my bouquet perfect was the finishing touches that I put on it. I attached my sorority pin and a locket. The locket was a gift to me, from my bridesmaids. They gave it to me on the day of my Daddy's memorial service. The silver locket held a picture of my Daddy and I and had engraved "Always with you, Daddy". It was just what my bouquet needed.

Here's the kicker, friends. Total price for the 8 bouquets (bride & 7 BM's) and 10 boutonnieres (groom, 7 GM's, my uncle and Chris' Dad) was $500. Thus,

Lesson learned #2: You do not have to use the florist that every other bride in town uses. If I would have gone with the first florist that I talked to (the most popular one in town), the cost of our flowers would have been tripled. Look and ask around, get quotes, and check for florists with smaller shops or that operate out of their home. You can save yourself a couple hundred dollars, get more personalized service, and your flowers will still be just as beautiful.

previously in the series, "how i tied the knot": getting ready, our first look
all pictures by: nicole green. please link back to tying the knot when posting any of these pictures.

Give Thanks and Share Your Link

This year, more than ever, I am thankful for my family, husband and friends and friendships. I’m attempting to be thankful for the 24 years I had to spend with my Daddy since some people don’t even get that long with their Dad’s. But I can’t help to think that I should have been blessed with about 24 more years with him.

On a lighter note, I am also thankful for my blackberry (Chris isn’t), gas being cheaper, diet mountain dew, target, wool socks & fake ugg boots, rice krispie treats, hooded sweatshirts, this blog, and the blogs Google reader delivers to be everyday.

I’ll be taking time out this weekend to spend with family, to do a little black Friday shopping, and (of course) to catch up on my favorite blogs. Speaking of blogs, I need some new material to read! So, while you’re home over Thanksgiving eating leftover turkey and getting an early start on Christmas shopping and decorating, drop me a comment with the link to your blog! I would love to stop by!

I think that it’s appropriate to end my last post before thanksgiving with a picture of a pretty table, just waiting for guests to arrive.

Thanks, Laura Ann for sending this picture from Jennifer Skog. I’m sure your tables at your reception will be just as beautiful as this one!

How I Tied the Knot: Our First Look

Previously in the post, tying the knot: our first look, I shared some of my favorite pictures of the first look we had of each other on our wedding day. I'd just like to chat with you all a little bit about our first look and first looks in general.

The decision to see each other before the doors opened at the church was made early in the planning process. I knew I would be a bundle of nerves on our wedding day if I didn't see Chris before my walk down the aisle. Seeing him before hand just made sense, after all, we wanted to spend as much time together on our wedding day as possible! And I was able to smile all the way down the aisle! Not to mention that it allowed us to get pictures (together and with the bridal party) before the ceremony at a relaxed pace. It was perfect.

That being said, the decision to see each other before the ceremony should be yours and yours alone. Not your photographers or your event managers. Not your wedding coordinators or your Mom's. If it's important to you to have that moment when you are walking down the aisle to be your first look, then let that moment be your first glimpse of each other. You won't regret it. But, I have to say, when the doors opened at the church, the moment was just as special as the moment that I saw him earlier in the day. Whatever decision you make, you'll be happy.

And now, for the pretty picture. I already shared all the pictures from our first look, so here's a picture from after our ceremony that you haven't seen yet.

previously in the series, "how i tied the knot": getting ready. next in the series, "how i tied the knot": the bouquets and boutonnieres.

all pictures by: nicole green. please link back to tying the knot when posting any of these pictures.

How I Tied the Knot: Getting Ready

Previously in the post, tying the knot: getting ready, I shared some of my favorite pictures of when I was getting ready for our big day. Now, it's time to let you all in on how I did it and the lessons that I learned from that aspect of our wedding day. And, of course, some pretty pictures to display along the way!

Lessons learned #1. The hotel gave us the VP Suite for free for our wedding night. We booked it for the night before as well so that we would have it at 7am for the BM's and I to get ready in. Since we had 30 rooms booked at the hotel for the night of our wedding, we had the hotel bump us up to the Presidential Suite (with a living room, dining room, master suite, and full kitchen) for both nights, for free. It rocked.

Lessons learned #2. Do not, in the midst of all of the craziness of your wedding planning, forget to figure out what you are going to wear on the morning of your wedding! The night before the wedding I mentioned to my MOH that I had nothing "cute" that I could wear while I was getting my hair and make-up done. She rushed out to VS and bought me this cute little Sexy Little Bride tank top that went perfectly with my favorite pink sweatpants.

Lessons learned #3. Our schedule that morning didn't really allow for all the guys to get ready together. Chris actually ended up getting ready pretty much by himself and then going to hang out with some of his groomsmen. I regret not sending Nicole's assistant, Dan, over to snap a couple keepsake photos of Chris "getting ready" and putting on his cuff links or tying his tie. Don't forget to have your photographer grab some photos of your husband-to-be while he is getting ready.

Lessons learned #4. Your BM's are perfectly capable of doing their own hair. Don't force them all to pay $$$$ to get their hair done if there is no need for it. Candice and AJ (pictured below) along with Jenn and Kristen all did their own hair....and the results were gorgeous.I paid a little extra to have my hair stylist come to my bridal suite to do my hair (and my Mom's and 2 of the BM's), so all of my bridesmaids were able to get ready with me in the suite. I had the hair and make-up ladies come at 7:45. I was done with both by 10, got into my dress, and saw Chris at 10:45, right on schedule.

Lessons learned #5. Know where the top loop (that the clasp goes into) on your dress is. Not kidding. My alterations lady never mentioned to us that the top loop was made of STRING. We spent 5 minutes attempting to find the loop and ended up using a safety pin to hold it in place until after the first look when Candice came in and saved the day by finding the loop of string.

Lessons learned #6. Mimosa's are god's gift to brides. Indulge.

Lessons learned #7. My trial run and up-do on the day of cost me a total of $100. Make-up was something like $40. Don't let make-up and hair vendors charge you an arm and a leg just because you are "the bride". When it comes down to it, an up-do is an up-do. Search around town a little bit and you'll find vendors at a reasonable price that will make you as happy with your hair and make-up on your wedding day as I was:

Next in this series, "How I Tied the Knot: Our First Look"

all pictures by: nicole green. please link back to tying the knot when posting any of these pictures.

New Blog Header and Link Love

I wanted to post my series "tying the knot" without disruption, so that the pretty pictures would have time to shine. So, before my next series begins, there are a couple of things that I wanted to share with all of you.

Take a moment to sneak a peek at my new blog header. It was time for a change, friends. Here's the kicker. Once you start, you just can't stop. I have 3 options to choose from! Check them out below and either leave a comment or vote (on the right) for your favorite. I really appreciate it!

Option 1: new current header...

Option 2: add in the shoes...
option 3: tying the knot monogram...

Note: Chris (the Husband) helped out with #2 and #3, don't let him sway your vote.

A couple other changes that I made to the blog were updating the list of my favorite blogs. I updated the list of "blogs i love" and added new list of "planners i love".

Need a new blog to peruse?! My friend Laura is getting married in August and recently started her own little bloggity blog to detail the process of planning her wedding. She's off to a great start planning her wedding, and I hope that you'll all pop over to tell her hello! You must check out the adorable way she asked her friends (me included!) to be bridesmaids here.

Above: Nicole captured a great shot of Laura on our wedding day that I don't even think Laura has seen yet! Love ya Lo!

Just a little link love: Elizabeth Anne Designs launched a new addition to their little blog, Elizabeth Anne Designs Living. "...dedicated to making our everyday lives as beautiful and creative as the day we begin our marriage.Living will be filled with crafts, recipes, book reviews, and everything else we love about the home arts. We hope you will enjoy reading and contributing as much as we have writing it." Along with Elizabeth Anne Designs and The EAD Library there is a little something for everyone! And a little link love to SWS Mag on the redesign of the Southern Weddings blog...it looks great!

Coming later today, a follow-up to my "tying the knot" series, "how I tied the knot".

Tying the Knot: What Happens Next

It's been almost two months since our wedding, and it's still hard to believe it's all over. It has been an off feeling to come home and not have to worry about putting programs together, confirming details with vendors, or agonizing over different shades of plum/purple/eggplant. But I must say that it is a great feeling coming home to a husband who can cook a mean chicken marsala. Marriage has it's perks and that is just one of them.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have shared some of the pretty pictures from our wedding. I hope that you love them as much as I do. Here's what's next for Tying the Knot, for the next week or so, I'm going to take you back through each of the areas that I've posted about in this "Tying the Knot" series. I'll share with you the lessons I learned throughout the wedding planning process, how I completed most of the DIY projects, and the few regrets I have about our big day. I think I'll be calling this new series, "How I Tied the Knot". It will be a place where all of the nitty gritty details can be spelled out (how much our florist charged, how Kinkos charged me an outrageous $10 to hole punch our 100 programs and how we made the mistake of not taking the traditional photo in front of the church altar) without getting in the way of the pretty pictures.

So, readers, what do you want to know?! How did I tie the ribbon around the centerpiece vases? How did we feel about not renting a limo/bus/vehicle to transport the bridal party? How my beautiful cake was less than $400? Let me know! Comment below, on this post, if you have any special requests!
And now, for one last pretty picture. Remember when I said this to/about my Daddy, "When I feel that gust of wind blow my dress and my veil around on my wedding day, I'll know that you are there." It happened. This picture was taken right before we took our family pictures outside of the church. We were basking in our newlywed bliss and my Daddy wanted to take a minute to tell me that he was there.
To me, this photo is priceless.

Have a great weekend!
previously in the series "tying the knot": we did it, a preview, our honeymoon, our candy bar, lifesaver, getting ready, our first look, the bride and groom, bouquets and boutonnieres, the shoes, the bridesmaids, the groomsmen, the bridal party, the sock shot, favorites, the ceremony, the bubbles and the get away, rawry, toasts and dancing, the cake, reception details

all pictures by: nicole green. please link back to tying the knot when posting any of these pictures.