Catching Up

Getting listy with it:

• Our engagement photos are almost ready!! Sneak peek of one of our favorites:

{Photo taken by our rockstar photographer Mr. Mike Reed}

• I didn't think I would be that much of a procrastinator when it came to the wedding, but that, my friends, is just not true. I am currently procrastinating on the following (ooh, a list within the list!)
• Finalizing the guest list
• Why is this my least favorite part of the entire process?
• Deciding on an officiant
• Again, the ceremony is kind of the point, so I'm not sure why this is such an issue
• Beginning to look at the menu options
• Food! Otherwise known as my favorite thing. Maybe it is because all the options look too good that I can't decide? 
• I am making these cupcakes for Nick's birthday, and I think I am more excited about them than he is. Seriously though, I am going to be injecting the cupcakes with milky goodness. Enough said. I am crossing my fingers and my toes that these turn out perfect... send positive thoughts my way?

{via How Sweet It Is}

• Our invitations are officially in the works, and I am getting more and more excited. 
• I have had the chance to do some serious hanging out with 3 of my 4 bridesmaids, and all I can say is that these ladies are something special. They are all from separate parts of my life, and they haven't met each other yet, but it's going to be fun to watch those "worlds collide," as George Costanza so aptly put it.

Engagement Picture Day

I am so tired and happy. Nick and I got up before it was light, prettied ourselves (at least I did; Nick rolls out of bed photo-ready. It's so obnoxious...), and headed to Hamilton Pool with our wonderful photographer Mike Reed. Three hours later, after traversing most of the park (I only exaggerate slightly) we called it a day. It was fun, exhausting, and exciting-- I can't wait to see the finished product!

I spent so much time prepping on Saturday for our little beach picnic-- I love any phase of life that involves painting pieces of a tree, spending hours in Hobby Lobby, or picking out flowers from Central Market. So, I had a bit of a heyday. Photographic proof:

Pictures of pictures never turn out that well, but here are some behind the scenes polaroids from today. Mike's pictures came out ten million times better, which is why he is the photographer and I am the amateur with the instant camera!

A List and Engagement Shoot Ideas

I think it has been said before, but lists are my crack. There is a stack of to-do lists on my desk, dating back from who knows when. I guess I just don't process things (in this case, all the stuff I have to do) until I see them listed in black and white.

With that in mind, let's list it up! I am grateful for...

• My sweet fiancé who never ceases to amaze me and always makes me smile
• My mother who likes to text me a lot of crazy emoticons of clapping hands and shocked eyes
• The Hunger Games premier! It could only be better if I was dressing up and waiting in line to see it at midnight... but alas...
• A bulletin board full of goofy pictures
• Notebooks that I can scribble in
• A father who actually reads my blog
• Good books (thinking particularly here of Your Voice in My Head, by Emma Forrest which I am about to start listening to on tape, for the second time.)
• Coffee, multiple times a day
• Wedding blogs (which I peruse periodically throughout the work day... shhhhh don't tell)
• My tiny blog, for giving me a fun outlet to gush about all things wedding related

Now, on to engagement shoot planning! We are scheduled to shoot with our photographer the first of April, at Hamilton Pool. I've only seen pictures, but the place looks gorgeous-- natural and wild, with large jutting stone surrounding a pool of water.

{via Kathy Davies Photography}

There's also, apparently, some greenery:

{via Jenny Demarco}

I don't want to give too much away, but I really like the engagement shoots I've seen that aren't too cutesy (see, Nick should really thank me, right?) or styled. Just us doing our thing, looking fabulous (haha).

I love these shots:

Two lovebirds just lounging-- that's us.

{via Kathy Davies Photography}

 Sweet and natural? Oh yes!

{via Green Wedding Shoes}

Picture of the picture!  

{via Grey Likes Weddings}

And here I confess that I adore The Notebook. This shot reminds me of that for some reason. Plus, what would an engagement shoot be without a smoochy picture? 

{via unknown}

Friday Wedding Inspiration - Bridal Edition

There is way too much prettiness out there. I have demonstrated, quite effectively, that one can spend several rotations of the clock's hour hand taking it all in. After a few weeks of getting caught scouring Style Me Pretty and the like, I stopped even pretending embarrassment. I love it all: the lace, the pink things, the flowers, the braids. I am fully and completely embracing the 8 year old girl within-- young Lindsey would be proud.

In that vein, this bridal shoot is exactly my style.

{via Green Wedding Shoes}

And it reminds me of one of my photographer's bridal shoots-- my very favorite of his bridal shoots.

 

 

{via Mike Reed Photo}

New Toy-- Photo booth Ideas

This adorable Fuji Instax Mini just came in the mail. It spits out tiny pictures, just like a polaroid!

Watching the first picture develop before my eyes was like magic. Pure magic.

So, some thoughts are percolating in my brain. Wedding related thoughts, of course. I love the idea of having a photo booth at the wedding, you know, a little something for guests to do other than dance. But darn those things are expensive. Maybe this little instant camera could be our own do-it-yourself photo booth? Provide some props, a cool backdrop, and bam!, photo booth. I have heard of others doing this, and I wonder if it is too kitschy... or is it just kitschy enough??

{via Beautiful Mess} 

{via Style Me Pretty}

{via Style Me Pretty}

Photography

I haven't 'dreamed about my wedding since the age of 4,' (though, from the look of this blog, I doubt you believe that...), but I always knew I wanted an amazing photographer to capture whatever the day was like. The flowers will wilt and the dress will sit in the closet, but those photos will always be there, sitting on the coffee table, reminding us of the day we stood up before our friends and family to commit to each other.

Enter Mike Reed of Mike Reed Photo. Even after hours of research (yes hours, and I loved every minute of it) his images were perfection. He knows how to capture the light and the important moments, and his photos are works of art. I can't wait to see what our pictures look like!

  

{All via Mike Reed Photo}

Check out his site and blog for more gorgeousness:

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