- Today and All Days -

Wednesday night, we graduated [summa cum laude, of course] from four weeks of marriage preparation class! 

4 nights x 2.5 hours each time was totally the way to go. I couldn't imagine sitting in this thing for 8 hours straight and trying to soak it all in in one day... Wowza. 

Our instructors were the cutest people; they have been teaching marriage prep for 20 years and have been married for even longer! We thought it was so valuable to have both a male and female perspective, and we loved hearing all the personal stories they had to share. [PS - Who knew that couples actually fought about what color of Christmas lights to have or how to replace the toilet paper or how to fold socks...?! For real?]  

The main theme that we took away: it's all about communication, communication, and more communication! Speaking on behalf of both of us (really truly honestly, I promise Brian would say the same thing), everything about this class was so fruitful and brought up lots of topics and questions that we had never discussed before.Thumbs up for the St. Louis Archdiocese and their efforts to effectively inspire and impact engaged couples. 

Cheers to today and ALL the days of our lives!

- Rings -

We got the rings back from Chicago today! The world's best fiance brought them over in a bouquet of pink roses. ;)

It's sooo hard to leave this sparkler in the box! 

[Speaking of rings,] I'm just going to let the cat out of the bag that Brian has been breakin' in his new band, too! Marriage looks good on him, yeah?!

Not that we need these physical reminders that we're in love, buttttt...

[Is it November yet?!?]

- {DIY} Invitations - Part I -

After lots and lots and LOTS of intricate measuring and Photoshop editing and last-minute tweaking [and maybe a little bit of rational arguing]...

...our invitations are off to George Press for printing! Phew!

Brian and my dad were AWESOME at transforming my [really picky] visions to words to sketches to computer files!  Making the invitations ourselves was one of the things we were most excited about in the wedding planning, but it also definitely proved to be the most work.  

[Like literally mind-exhausting work. And Brian earned his sainthood!]

We are so ready to get these back from GP so they can be cut and taped and stuffed and addressed and MAILED! :)

[77 days and counting!]

- {DIY} Rose Balls -

Total bummer: our church doesn't allow flower girls to toss rose petals down in the aisle.

[What?!]

That's ok; we decided they will carry white rose balls instead!

Classy but fun, these balls are easily becoming the new hot wedding trend. We had an entertaining few hours tonight sticking and hot-gluing rose stems into a styrofoam ball -- another super easy DIY project! 

This groom is getting craftier by the day!

They turned out really cute [and will be even cuter as an accessory to our sweet flower girls]! :)

- {DIY} Table Numbers -

15 minutes with the MacBook...

...25 minutes with the paper cutter...

...35 minutes with the double-stick tape...

...and the table numbers are finished! 

[Here's to hoping that we get enough RSVP's to fill the tables! ;)]

- {DIY} Card Box -

Our DIY reception card box is painted, glued, nailed, and ready to rock-and-roll!   

To make this box, I ordered four 8x10 engagement pictures from Schiller's in St. Louis (this lab is WONDERFUL!) and bought four black picture frames from Hobby Lobby (they are 50% off every other week). 

Mesh those materials together with one super creative Dad who can OWN a wood shop (unfortunately, this guy isn't up for purchase), and the card box is set to go! 

One more project checked off the list! Yeah! 

- Chicago -

We took a quick roadtrip to Chicago this weekend [mostly] to have my wedding band made, but also [and more excitingly] to explore the Windy City! 

The first stop was ring shopping at New York Jewelers.  On the way out, I couldn't help but gawk at all these GIANT diamonds in the window! Wowza.

We took a quick walk through Millennium Park and [of course] posed for a touristy picture at The Bean...

NEVER dreamed we'd bump into my bridesmaid from Cleveland on the streets of Chicago...!!! Weird! We had a great time catching up. :) 

Wrigley Field was pretty sweet, but we made sure to advertise for our CHAMPION St. Louis Cardinals! 

The last part of the weekend was spent at the wonderful IKEA in Schaumburg!  LOVE. THAT. PLACE...

...and Brian did, too! :) 

We made it home safely from Chi-town, but my engagement ring has to stay for two weeks!  

...Fourteen days as a single lady...

What to do, what to do?! ;) 

- {DIY} Unity Candle -

If you haven't figured it out by now, we're loving all these "do it yourself" wedding projects! :) 

Today's endeavor was the unity candle. 1 sheet of 8.5x11 vellum + 1 big white candle + a few ribbons and embellishments from Hobby Lobby + [hardly] 1 ounce of creativity = 1 easy peasy project! 

3 months from today and we'll be lighting this beauty! 

PS - I love our unity candle song [almost as much as I love our fabulous pianist who's going to rock it]... Three claps for Vangelis! :) Stoked.

- Stocking Up -

We spent today stocking up on all of our favorite things for your hotel gift baskets! :)

Randall's: you've met your two new best customers!  

Our hotel blocks are filling up... Have you booked your room yet? ;) 

- Tuxes -

A thousand thanks to Jenn at Formals of Litchfield for helping us pick out the perfect tuxes!  

Dapper groomsmen: this is your [informal] invite to stop by Formals and get measured anytime before September 1. 

Thank you Jenn! Thank you Formals!  Thank you groomsmen!