Celebrate Good Times!

I'm down in Florida to celebrate my friend Kelly's big day. 

I'm so excited to be a guest and wedding planner and celebrate Matt & Kelly.

So here's to them and here's to a wonderful weekend of celebrations!



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[Real Wedding] - Kelly & Matt's Engagement Pictures

This weekend is the wedding of one of my friends, Kelly, and her husband-to-be, Matt.  I am playing dual roles as guest and wedding planner and couldn't be more excited.  These are two of the sweetest people I know and they are perfect for each other!  And today (in preparation for their wedding weekend) I have their engagement pictures for you.  They are just so cute together!

Happy Wedding Weekend to Kelly & Matt!!

Pictures by: Photo by Jamie

[Recipe] - Hashbrown Casserole

As promised last week, this week I have a new recipe for you - Hashbrown Casserole.  Again this past weekend we had a noon football game so the tailgate was all about brunch.  I decided to try out a new recipe and I think it's a keeper!

Ingredients:

-2 lbs. frozen hash browns (Southern style), thawed (I thawed mine overnight so they were ready to go in the morning)
-1 stick melted butter

-1 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. pepper
-1 can cream of chicken soup (I went with Campbell's 98% fat free)
-1 pt. sour cream (Again to cut fat, went with fat free version)
-1/2 c. chopped onions (I used a white onion but green onion would be good too)
-10 oz. pkg. shredded cheddar cheese

Topping:

-1 cup crushed corn flakes
-3 tbsp. melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix together all of the ingredients

3. Arrange mixture into a 9x13 backing dish

4. Sprinkle the Toppings mixture (crushed cornflakes and melted butter) onto the top of contents in the pan

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (I baked mine for an hour and it was perfect)

6. Enjoy!

With my friend Meredith at our tailgate - it was such a fun tailgate and game!

Hope you guys enjoy this recipe - happy cooking :)

Apples On My Mind

I don't know about you, but football season always gets me in the mood for Fall.  The weather starts to cool down and out come the sweaters and boots.  Another thing that reminds me of Fall?  Red apples.  Maybe it's the color or the thought of warm apple pie or maybe it's all the apple picking farms in Georgia (such a fun Fall activity!)...

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Whatever the reason, I have apples and Fall on the brain which led to this inspiration board:

Like this Welcome sign for out of town guests?  We featured in as a DIY a while back!

Pictures via: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

A Little Something ~ #29

There are so many different, unique wedding invites options out there.  And today's {A Little Something} is just another one of those.

I found this idea while using Stumble Upon and came across a post with 10 unique invites.  Check out all of the ideas, they're really interesting.  But, this one below stood out to me. 

I've never seen a film strip invite like this before and absolutely love it - so fun!

By Ambient Studios

Relax. It's the weekend.

Whew, the week is finally over (ok, ok almost over... just have to get through the work day). 

Thank goodness for Fridays and the start to the weekend.    I don't know about y'all but I plan to relax all weekend long.

If only I could be relaxing here....

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Hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxed weekend!

Etsy Find - Everlastinglifashion

Today's Etsy find is just so amazing - you guys are going to love it!  To start, Tess, the owner of Everlastinglifashion, has such a sweet love story... "Eight years ago I married a gorgeous Englishman and moved from one of the most beautiful cities in the US (Chicago) to definitely the most beautiful countryside in the UK (Monmouthshire)... Most days I am sitting in my peaceful garden near a field of grazing lambs and sheep working on shoes for brides-to-be. I love it. No two pairs are the same. I just love working with brides-to-be to provide special and personal shoes for the happiest and most memorable day of their lives." 

Now for the designs, Tess uses her vintage style to make one of kind shoes for brides using everything from brooches to jewels to fabric.

I asked Tess about her designs and she said, "I think the most important thing that makes us different from other wedding shoe designers is that we aren't limited to copying a color but we can provide a pattern such as a floral pattern or a tartan to match the groom's kilt.  Also many of our brides appreciate that we are able to incorporate personal and meaningful items into the design that they send to us. Some brides have sent us pieces of lace from their mother's or grandmother's wedding gown or veil. Others have sent us buttons or vintage jewelery that we work into the design. So basically anything that a bride can think of we can probably do it for them."

Her designs are truly unique and beautiful!

A little something blue for your wedding day.

Love the lace on the heel!

She can also personalize flats for you.

The Cinderella Shoes: 

"Cinderella's Wish"

"Cinderella's Revenge"

"Cinderella's Ultimate Purple Party Shoe"

Tess also has clutches: 

Check out Tess' Etsy shop for more designs!  Also, check out their website for even more information and products.

[Recipe] - Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Yes, I know this is a wedding blog but I've decided that I'm going to start sharing recipes with you guys when I come across especially good ones.  I love to cook and so hey why not.  And you always need recipe ideas once you're married right?

So, this past weekend we had our first tailgate of the football (Georgia Tech) season.  The first home game was a Thursday so this was our first chance for a full {southern style} tailgate.

The game was at noon so we went we a brunch theme for the tailgate - bloody mary's, mimosas, egg casserole, bagels, etc.  I decided to make Apple Cinnamon Muffins.  I've made them before and they're always a huge hit (and were this time as well).  So, that being said I here is the recipe - it's pretty simple and quick!

Ingredients:

For muffins:

-1 egg

-1/2 cup milk (I used skim)

-1/4 cup oil

-1 1/2 cup flour

-1/2 cup sugar

-2 tsp. baking powder

-1/2 tsp. salt

-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

-1/2 cup apple, grated (I used one Fuji apple that was peeled.  I've always used Granny Smith before)

Nut Topping:

-1/3 cup packed brown sugar

-1/3 cup nuts, chopped (I used pecans)

-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Head oven to 400 degrees

2. Grease bottoms of muffin pan (or use cupcake liners - which is what I always do)

3. Beat egg and then stir in milk and oil.

4. Peel and grate the apple (one large apple should make the 1/2 cup that you need)

5. Next, mix in remaining ingredients (minus the nut topping).  Keep in mind your batter will be lumpy!

6. Pour batter into the muffin pan.

7. Mix the Nut Topping ingredients together (I use a mini food processor so I don't have to hand chop the nuts, but you can also do it by hand if you want larger nut pieces)

7. Add Nut Topping to the top of the batter in the muffin pan.

8. Bake at 400 for 20 - 25 minutes. (I baked for about 22 minutes).

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of us enjoying them at the tailgate... Up this weekend for the next tailgate (for yet another noon game.) - hashbrown casserole.  Hopefully it turns out well and I'll share it with you all next week.

You can find the recipe I used at cooks.com - Enjoy!

Falling For Gold

Is it just me or is gold everywhere for Fall?  It seems to be the new 'it' color from fashion to nails to home decor.  And I don't know about you all but I'm loving it.  Bring on the glitter!

Just as gold can be great for everyday things, it also makes for some great wedding inspiration.  What you guys think - is gold a yes or no for weddings?

I'm loving this dress that was in a feature on Style Me Pretty!

Pictures via: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6



[Guest Post] - Victoria’s Marvelous Melbourne

Today we have a wonderful {Guest Post} for you from one of my very best friends, Bethany (check out her blog too - Falling Down Under - it's a great read).  She up and moved to Melbourne (as in Australia - the other side of the world) earlier this summer.  After being there for almost two months, she is loving it and is here to tell us all about it and some great wedding venues she's come across...

Victoria is the state of Australia where the city of Melbourne is located and where I have been living for the past 6 weeks. In that short time, I have fallen in love with the city and have grown a bit soft-hearted for the romantic couples wandering the city streets: her in her beautiful full white gown and he in his fabulous tuxedo.

Melbourne is a city that has every type of terrain and outdoor wonder you could possibly want as the backdrop from your wedding day. You could choose the downtown city wedding at the Hotel Windsor. Picture Bride Wars at the Plaza Hotel, but in the Central Business District (the CBD – as the Australians call their downtown squares) in Southern Australia. Glamorous and chic with the big city lights as your get-away view.

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You could also choose the beach destination wedding that is only 20 minutes from the CBD. St. Kilda beach is beautiful, quaint and right near the heart of the city, but feels a million miles away. There are numerous restaurants, hotel, galleries that look right over the water, perfect for a reception that can take your guests’ breath away.

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I think though, that my favorite venue for a wedding, or even just your wedding photos has become the Royal Exhibition Building in north central Melbourne. The Exhibition Building and surrounding Carlton Gardens were built in 1880 for Melbourne’s first international exhibition to publicize the achievements of the wealthy colony of Victoria. The building today is still used for exhibitions including the Taste of Melbourne and seasonal bridal shows.

 

Not only is the outside of the building beautiful with 19^th century architecture, the surrounding gardens are well-kept dashes of colorful mazes, an escape for wedding guests, couples and a fragrant area for pictures or a quaint outdoor wedding.

The interior of the building is even more grand and immaculate than the exterior. With a grand hall and long isle way for the largest and grandest of ceremonies.

There is something magical about this city and whatever it is has swept me away too. Not in terms of boys sweeping me off my feet, that hasn’t happened yet, but in terms of the people, the atmosphere, the rush of life you feel when walking down the busy streets of the CBD, the peaceful sandy plane of St. Kilda or the colorful walkways of the Carlton Gardens. A destination in itself, add a wonderful finance and a few of your closest friends and family and you could have the most Marvelous Melbourne wedding getaway.

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A Little Something ~ #28

Today's {A Little Something} is a DIY found via Pinterest.

I love this idea from Instructables - such an easy DIY but a great way to add something unique to your centerpieces!

European Adventure - Amsterdam

Over Labor Day weekend (aka the first weekend of September for those non-Americans), I traveled over to Amsterdam for a week to visit the bf (he is currently there for work). After spending a week biking (the number of bikes there is insane) and walking around the city, I got to see how relaxed and beautiful the city is.

So, I thought I'd share a bit of my European Adventure in Amsterdam with you.

Heineken Brewery - so cheesy, but at least you get a few beers along the way.

It's beautiful, right?

Up next: Nice, France & Monte Carlo in October!