benny&martha

addicted!

2010-03-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

While I was in Lawrence, I headed to Target to do a little shopping. Yes, I know there are many Targets here in Chicago, but tax is sooo much cheaper in Kansas!! Anyhoo, the truth of the matter is, I NEEDED to see some Liberty of London prints. Everything they did for target is truly amazing. I'm really addicted. I did manage to get some cute stationary and some pajamas, but there is so much more to love. I think Ben might need that tie for a certain wedding in our future... And the same goes for that dress. Rehearsal dinner? Hmmm, I think so!

a lovely lawrence bridal shower

2010-03-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I visited Kansas to help some lovely ladies host a bridal shower for our friend Mallory. Lauren was gracious enough to let us have it at her adorable house! (Ps: she has an adorable blog to match) It really turned out great, not counting the super snowy weather! Which was on the first day of Spring no less! Well, it was Spring indoors, which was our intention. Anyhoo, so here are some pictures of how it all turned out. Lauren made the cake, Jenny, Mallory's sister made the cupcakes and I made the flower arrangements. It was lots of fun... and we drank mimosas!! What could be better?

yes, i'm alive!

2010-03-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay, I know it's been WAY too long! But I have a good excuse, I promise! Well, maybe I do, I'm not quite sure. I'll just blame it on school.

Anyhoo, Ben and I started spring cleaning early this year. We got rid of lots of stuff we didn't need and actually got two things we desperately needed! A dresser and a computer. The computer arrived today and I couldn't be more excited! It's such a relief to use a computer that doesn't die after 20 minutes!

Basically, Ben and I have been trying to rid our lives of clutter and make our home generally more organized. Both being artists, it is very, very hard to keep uncluttered. However, I think we're making steps in the right direction by getting rid of all that junk we've been piling up! Here are some of my favorite new additions to our home.Ben's Valentine gift for me!
My cousin Sadie's wedding gift to us. It doesn't have a home yet because we still need to attach hangers to the back...Artwork by our friends Paul Munro (birds) and Gretchen Huffman (squirrel)
And last but certainly not least, my new plants! I'm attempting this whole green thumb thing. After all, I do take care of plants at my job, surely I can do it at home too.

anthropologie love

2010-01-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

After a recent shopping trip to Anthropologie, Ben and I decided we need to make our apartment look as much like it as possible. We are kind of lazy when it comes to decorating within a certain theme. Luckily for us, we already have tons of quilts and afghans which will go along with our Anthropologie theme perfectly. So naturally I've been spending lots of time perusing their website looking for things we need... okay, want. Really I'm just compiling a mile long wishlist, for now I figure we can make do with what we have at home. I made this pillow yesterday after months of saying I was going to do so. I found a this fabric at the Salvation Army probably 2 years ago. I'm happy I finally used it! It's very cheesy cute, don't you think?

Vintage Clothing & the Sartorialist

2010-01-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

We all know how amazing the Sartorialist is and if you don't, then you need to! His photographs are beautiful as are the people in them. I love this photo of a vintage shop owner in Melbourne. So adorable. Maybe it's because of my recent lack of funds, but vintage shopping really is the best. It's amazing what you can do with little money and lots of patience. I'm planning on going thrifting later this week with a school friend that I don't see enough of. It's especially fun to go to other people's salvation armies. I know I have thrift stores I frequent because I always find great things there. Time to step outside the neighborhood thrift store!

delicious clogs

2010-01-11T10:46:00.000-08:00

Ugglebo Classic Swedish Clogs via small stump + studio choo

swedish hasbeens

My mom had the coolest pair of clogs back in the day. I used to borrow them all the time in junior high, when we had the same size feet. Now sadly, they sit in my closet unused. I can't bear to part with them though. They are just too special. So now, I have this problem, I'm majorly broke, but really want clogs. I guess maybe I should go on a shopping ban. There's no harm in looking, right?

Wedding Photos Part 2!

2010-01-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

Hello all! I've been such a lazy lump about blogging lately, I know. Ben and I had a lovely Christmas here in Chicago, the we headed to Kansas after the new year for a week. It was nice to see family and all the blizzardy Kansas weather! I've been meaning to upload our wedding photos forever. Rather than upload them here, I put them on Flickr. So please go and check them out! I'll leave you with one of my favorite parts of our wedding, our cake!! Made by the lovely and talented Tessa.

wedding photos! part 1

2009-12-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Sorry it has been so long since I've posted anything. This semester was one of the hardest I've had so far, but now it's over!!! I can finally just relax and enjoy married life! So in honor of that, I posted a couple of my very favorite photos of me and Ben from the wedding. Jennifer did a wonderful job!! I can't wait to post the rest!

so freaking cool.

2009-11-25T19:44:00.000-08:00

Seriously! This dress is to die for. Best dress I've seen in a while. And Rihanna is just so damn cool.

most perfect hat ever!

2009-11-24T08:26:00.000-08:00

Umm, yeah, so I need this. But I've never spent more than $10 on a hat, so I probably won't be getting it, but it is definitely the most perfectly cute winter hat.

yay!!!

2009-11-24T08:22:00.000-08:00

Well, as you might have guessed, Ben and I are MARRIED!!! We don't have many pictures yet, but this is one of my favorites that a good friend took. The whole wedding was amazing. It was so awesome to have all our loved ones around us. Ben keeps saying it was the best party he's ever been to, which I have to agree with! The best!

12 days!

2009-11-02T15:43:00.000-08:00

Yikes! Next time we're at a wedding it will be our own! Can you believe it? 12 days! There are so many things going on right now that I just haven't had time to blog, which I feel really bad about, but hey, I'm blogging now right? Anyhoo, it is hard to believe that one week from now Ben and I will be on our way to Kansas to get married! Right now we're just working on those teeny tiny microscopic details that drive me crazy! Well, really they don't. It's just a lot of work, but it will TOTALLY be worth it! I cannot wait to see all my friends and family. It will be great to see everyone all in one place, but most of all, it will be amazing to marry Benny. I don't really know what to expect. Even though we've been together for 5 years and been living together for 3 of those 5, I know it will be different once it's official.

bored?

2009-10-01T22:03:00.000-07:00

Why don't you Google old wedding photos? It's pretty fun and also kinda weird, because I have no idea who these people are, but their wedding photo is just lovely.

I admit, I've been a little lazy when it comes to blogging. However, I've been more busy in school than I think I've ever been. Pile that on top of wedding madness - oh yeah, and my job - and I've got my work cut out for me.

Only 44 days!!

shoe is a funny word.

2009-09-22T12:06:00.000-07:00

I finally found my wedding shoes! I saw them a while back when my mom was visiting, but I wasn't sure about them. Then I went back to the Dressing Room with Mary on Saturday and got them. I just want to wear them right away! But I can wait. I'm sure I will wear them a ton after the wedding. I think I could even wear them to Mallory's wedding!!

yummers!

2009-09-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

When we were in Lawrence a few weeks back, we had the pleasure of meeting with Tessa! She's a good friend of mine from when we worked at Winfield House in Lawrence. Anyhoo, Ben and I decided to ask her if she'd make the cakes for our wedding. We had so much fun talking about cake and I seriously can't wait to see (and taste) what she prepares. Here's a sneak peak! We asked her to make us a vegan cake because a few of our guests are vegan. We just want everyone to be able to have some yummy cake. Even though I didn't get a chance to taste this, it looks super delicious.

kitty love

2009-09-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been a little obsessed with For me, For you. It all started with Mary. She showed me her fabulous necklaces and I fell in love! Then, I noticed something else. Her cat Wendy, looks a lot like my cat Smokie! I think I actually gasped when I saw a picture of Wendy for the first time. Is it just me, or do you think they look like they could be brother and sister?

cutie boutonnieres!

2009-09-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

Here is Benny modeling the boutonniere I made for him. I think this is what I'm going to do for all the groomsmen. However, I think I would skip the dried lavender, even though it smells awesome. I would like to incorporate feathers instead. Wouldn't that be cute?

By the way, our wedding is in just about 2 months to the day! Can you believe it?!

engagement photos... ben & martha style

2009-08-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

Sunday night, we went to Mary's house for dinner. She lives across the street from the prettiest park. So we thought, hey, lets take some engagement photos! Mary took them, and I think they turned out great! What do you think?

[Our engagement announcement was just in the Lawrence paper!]

too crazy?

2009-08-20T09:37:00.001-07:00

I need a new bag for the school year, and first I thought I should get a plain black bag from Le Sport Sac. Then I saw this lovely zebra print. I know Mallory will love it! Is it too crazy for me? Keep in mind, I will be carrying it through fall and winter with a boring black winter coat.

vintage shopping: what I want to do all day

2009-08-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I found myself needing to get out of the house. I ventured to Gap to peruse the sale section and came up empty handed. Then I went to Haystack Vintage, one of my very favorite shops in Chicago. I've found that lately I just want to buy vintage clothing rather than new. Maybe it's because I'm trying to save money. Well, I looked and looked and didn't find anything I wanted. But sometimes isn't it nice just to look at clothes without the pressure of buying? Since I've had a couple days off from work in a row, that's what I've been doing. I've definitely spent too much time on etsy, but it's just looking, right? However, if someone wanted to buy me this dress, I wouldn't mind one bit.

lovely vintage lace

2009-08-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

Isn't this the prettiest vintage wedding dress? If I didn't already have one being made (and if it was long enough) I would totally buy this.

what I'm doing today.

2009-08-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ben and I have had a slew of visitors this last month. And though we enjoyed them all, it is nice to have some alone time. Today I'm totally soaking up some much needed Martha time.
Drinking too much delicious coffee.
Listening to the newish Neko.
Getting some sewing time in.

wow!

2009-08-14T22:12:00.001-07:00

This looks like such fun! I can't wait for our wedding!!

I swear, this photo wasn't staged...

2009-08-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe Ben and I will be married in less than 100 days! It kind of sounds like a lot still, but I know it will fly by super fast. This month is almost half way over already! Oh time, why do you move so quickly?

fall fever

2009-08-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

It's funny, we had the nicest summer in Chicago. The weather has been super nice and cool. Not too hot ever... that is until the past couple days. Even though it is sweltering, all I can do is think about Fall. I love a good season change. And this one will be even better than the last because we're getting married! I cannot believe it is so close, a mere 3 months away! Yikes! Luckily, we will be in Kansas Labor Day weekend for my lovely friend Erin's wedding. Last minute planning here we come!Talking about Fall makes me want to go back-to-school shopping. This is the first Fall in a few years that I'm actually going back to school! Maybe I need a new backpack. Too bad this one that I'm in love with isn't sold in Chicago...

buttons & centerpieces

2009-08-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

Like many future brides, I have changed my mind a lot. For centerpieces, I want to keep it simple, pretty, and different. I love Mason Jars but they seem to be everywhere right now. I love how Jordyn and Bradley at Once Wed did their centerpieces. Their entire wedding is just beautiful. The brightly colored buttons in Mason Jars is really my favorite part.

party in wisconsin!

2009-07-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my mom, Ben and I went to Wisconsin to visit our little cutie of a niece, Erielle. Oh, and her lovely parents of course! Wisconsin is such a gorgeous state. We went raspberry picking at the farm my brother Gabe works at for Erielle's birthday. It was such a great time. It was too short though. Now that we've gone there we've realized it's really not that far. If we had a car, we'd probably go there a lot more often. But hey, rental cars work just fine too!

We were only there for a short weekend, but now my mom is spending some quality time with me in Chicago. Today we went to the MCA and saw a great exhibit. Yesterday we went to the Chic Chicago exhibit at the History Museum. We got to see work by Christian Dior, Chanel, Halston... It was a real treat. I'm already wishing I could go see it again, but sadly it was the last day of the exhibit.

All in all, it's been a fun and looong weekend. Though, I'm not sure I'll want to go back to work on Thursday when my mom leaves. Though it has been nice to have her here. She helped me (finally!) send our Save-the-Dates!! Even though we sent them late, I'm glad we sent them because they are super cute! What a relief it is to have one more thing crossed of our verrrry long list!

lovely shoes

2009-07-28T20:11:00.001-07:00

Yes, I'm still looking for the perfect wedding shoes. I want to be able to wear them again and again. My favorite here are the gold ones in the middle which are from Anthropologie. The other two are pretty, but eh, I'm not sure. I like the gold lacey ones because they are so uniquely pretty. I've been looking for pinky metallicy flats. So it is interesting that these goldies caught my eye. Not really what I was looking for, but sometimes that is the best thing! Hmmm... what a predicament I'm in... As of right now, the lacey gold shoes win. What do you think?

Pitchfork

2009-07-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend Ben and I were lucky enough to go to Pitchfork Music Festival! Thanks to his brother who worked backstage! We saw the Flaming Lips perform last night, which was definitely a unique experience. The lead singer came out on the crowd in a ball similar to the one in the picture above. It was crazy. There were balloons, confetti and dancers dressed as cats and frogs. While we were walking around during the day, a style scout took my picture for her blog! I was so excited I was blushing. It made for a lovely day.

happy monday!

2009-07-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

I love her bib necklace. It reminds me of the one I made last semester out of rubber bands. Maybe I should start wearing it outside of my apartment.

ruffles & taffeta

2009-07-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

Just for fun, I decided to search for flower girl dresses. Both are from JCrew of course, but they're a little on the pricey side. Does anyone know of some good resources for flower girl dresses?

love agyness!

2009-07-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

Isn't this just the cutest photograph? You can find more by this photographer here.

129 days!

2009-07-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

There's not much there yet, but if you'd like, please check out our website on the Knot! It's kind of scary because it's making me realize ALL the things I still have to do, but I'm confident that I'll finish it all. One of my favorite parts of the website is that has a wedding countdown. 129 days!! Isn't that crazy?

oh, hello

2009-07-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

Only two more weeks of school! Then I'm just working and oh, right, planning a wedding! This is what I've been working on in class. Now I just need to get a dress form at home...

man, i miss this guy

2009-06-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

Ben left for Kansas on Tuesday. He's teaching art lessons to some of this old Raintree students. Great for them, not so great for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm an independent lady, but I'm ready for him to come home.

wedding shoes

2009-06-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

These are both on sale at J Crew... Hmm...

kansas peonies!

2009-06-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

Because I've been feeling a little homesick this week, I bought some Kansas Peonies from work. Aren't they purty? They've been helping cheer me up!

Mid-week silliness!

2009-06-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

CAKE!

2009-06-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

Now it's time for my favorite part of wedding planning, CAKE! We already know who is making our cake, but we haven't really decided what it will look like. All I know is it must be pink and involve meringue. What better place to look for inspiration than Martha Stewart?
Though it doesn't fulfil either of my requirements, I like this one the best. It's just so adorable!

This one is pretty cute too. It has meringue which is a definite plus. What are your favorites?
PS: On a side note, I bought the fabric for my wedding dress today!!

poppies, poppies, poppies!

2009-05-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

Ben and I are just about to get started designing our save-the-dates and invitations! I've really been inspired by vintage illustrations of poppies as of late, so I think we're going to try and incorporate them somehow. We're enlisting Mallory's help with a top secret surprise with our save-the-dates. I'm pretty pumped about it, but you will just have to wait and see! Here are some really adorable save-the-dates and such from around the internet blogging world.This totally caught my eye because it's so different than anything I've seen. So cute. People just don't wear hats like they used to...I just love the simplicity of this one. Very straight forward.Very cute westerny theme. I love the nerdy illustration style.
Classic love birds. It's just so stinkin' cute! I found all of these courtesy of Brooklyn Bride.This one is from Satsuma Press. I love the poppies! This is probably the closest to what I think ours will look like, but in Ben's illustration style of course.

I DID IT!!

2009-05-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

I decided to chop! I, of course, debated about it, but once I was in the salon chair, I knew there was nothing else I wanted.It's a little different than the Kirsten Dunst cut, but still very cute. I still have to get the styling down, but I really couldn't be happier. It reaffirms the fact that I am and always will be a short hair girl.

mini wedding update!

2009-05-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

I am in the midst of finals, so naturally I'm procrastinating. What better time to blog? Here's an update on our wedding plans!

I ordered this dress from J.Crew, and when it arrived, it was too short. When she heard about my too short dress, my lovely boss at the flower shop recommended that her mother make the dress for me! While I can sew a nice sun dress, I'm not so sure a wedding dress would turn out so pretty. So I'm pretty excited about this! I'm glad the dress didn't work out because now I really know what I want. I bought a vintage dress pattern on Ebay and found (totally randomly) a vintage lace dress that is almost the same cut as the pattern! The plan is to merge the two into one fabulously gorgeous dress! I can't wait to get started!I think these shoes are the best. Perfect for a tall girl like me!

Photo from Little Pheasant

I've decided to make my own bouquets for the wedding. I met with a florist in Lawrence and just didn't feel right about it. He was very nice, but I'm just too damn picky. Especially about flowers. So we'll see what happens!

HAIR!

2009-05-07T11:36:00.001-07:00

I've always been a short hair kinda gal. However, the last year or so, I've been slowly growing it out with hopes of becoming a long hair gal. Lately though, I've been itching to cut it! What's a girl to do?
I've always thought I wouldn't be the one to grow my hair out for my wedding, but now that's what I'm doing. I know, it's just hair, but I have a tendency to over think these things. I love the idea of a cute little veil too, which would definitely look best with a short do.
This of course, is the best haircut ever! I've been coveting it for way too long... What do you think? Is it wedding appropriate?

just lovely.

2009-04-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

One of my wonderful friends, Erin, is getting married this September. She chose me as one of her Bridesmaids! This is what I think I'm going to wear.I don't normally do strapless, but I LOVE this dress and really think it might work. After the wedding I can wear it with a cardigan and flats, in typical Martha style.

shiny and new!

2009-04-20T15:15:00.001-07:00

Ah, the end of the semester is almost here! I have such a hard time managing my time. When I'm not doing schoolwork all I want to do is nothing. But I thought I would show you what Ben and I have been up to, besides the ever growing list of wedding plans!
This is the bike Ben got me for my birthday! A 1961 Schwinn! He wanted to get me one for my previous birthday, but couldn't find one until now. Ain't she a beauty?
Me thanking Ben for said bike. He looks confused.
A break from riding along Lake Michigan. Beautiful Day!

cats vs. unicorns

2009-04-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

I have to apologize for my erratic blogging. We got back from Lawrence a week ago, and I've been so swamped with school that I just haven't had time to blog. =( So, please forgive me! I promise I will have a lot to blog about very soon!!
We had a lot of fun in Lawrence. It was one of the best trips we've had, minus the yucky weather! We really got a lot accomplished in the ways of wedding planning. We changed our minds completely about where to get married! We will now be gettin' hitched at the Alton Ballroom at Pachamama's in Downtown Lawrence. We couldn't be happier about this! It's absolutely gorgeous!Here Mallory, Fally and I are at the Star Bar, also at Pachamama's. It has a really nice ambiance... and good cocktails!
We got pretty silly, or rather, Ben and Joe did. Here is Ben with one of his Groomsmen.We got crazy with tattoos. Yep, we're hardcore! Cats and Unicorns all the way!

spring break! woooo!

2009-03-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hello! Yes, I am still alive, just super tired and lazy. School is kicking my booty. What have I been up to you ask? Well, last weekend, Ben, Mary, and I went antiquing! It was super fun. All I could afford was a little cute bow pin, which I love. Ben actually went back and bought this clutch for me! Such a sweetie pie! Needless to say, it will be accompanying me to Kansas!

silly face martha

That's right! Ben and I going to Kansas in a few days! I'm pretty darn excited about this. I've made a couple of wedding related appointments, one with a pastry chef, one with a florist. I'm not sure I'm following the plan that's always in those wedding magazines, but I think it will be okay. I mean, the cake is really the most important part, right? Hopefully I will get lots and lots of good blogging pictures that I can share! I'm sure there will be some BFF photos!

battle of the bridesmaids dresses!

2009-03-13T15:37:00.001-07:00

I had my mind made up. Navy dresses. Navy is classic, neutral, but still more fun than plain black. Originally, I had my mind on purple dresses, but couldn't find the right ones. Well, of course since I decided on navy, I found the perfect purple dresses. Now that I've found them, they are just so dang cute! What's a girl to do?

This one also comes in purple!

Jcrew, of course.

Elie Tahari, ABS, both bluefly.com

This one is on sale!

My personal favorite.

All Jcrew, as if you didn't already know.

Now that you have seen all of these lovely dresses, which do you prefer? (Bridesmaids: this means you)!

more more more!

2009-03-05T20:12:00.000-08:00

I might seriously have a problem... I'm kind of obsessed with alternate veils and headpieces right now. Here are some cuties from ban.do. I especially like the giant feather!

pretty things

2009-03-02T07:43:00.000-08:00

I'm quickly approaching my first mid-term. Yikes! So I thought I would browse some cute new wedding ideas to give myself a break from Art History. Here are a couple things I'm quickly becoming obsessed with:

A cute ring pillow from Etsy.

I'm still not sure what I'll do concerning a headpiece, but I really like this sparkly one from Jennifer Behr. I think it will look nice with my dress! Yep, that's right, I bought my dress! I'm thinking of keeping it a secret though. I will tell you this, it is from Jcrew. I'm so excited I can't stand it! The dress won't arrive until mid-April. Oh man, I can't wait!!

pretty flower friday!

2009-02-20T16:03:00.000-08:00

I just have to say, I found the cutest new blog! I don't know if it's actually new, but it is new to me. She is a floral designer, which it just so happens, I am too! I love all of her unconventional ideas. In fact, I think I know exactly what my boutonneire's will look like now!

I found these on her website. I am completely obsessed. Lately, I've been really into simple white and green arrangements. Succulents are always a plus. I found this adorable bouquet on Brooklyn Bride. I love the succulents, coxcomb and green roses!

I only wish I could have this exact bouquet! I'm a little worried about my floral options in Kansas. I'm sure most of you know how picky I am... and now I've become a flower snob! I would love to make the bouquets and boutonnieres myself. I'm going to do my best to do what I can! Even though I change my mind constantly, I'm fairly certain this green and white combo is going to make it to the aisle!

location... check! one down... many, many more to go

2009-02-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

So, Ben and I have been super lazy about wedding planning, as I've mentioned before. I will tell you what our first official plan is... But first, here is our awesome new vase from CB2. I found it on a recent trip to Trader Joe's. They just happen to be right next to each other, which is good when I can find things for only 7 bucks! Yes, that's right, 7 bucks!

We decided on a location!! The Lawrence Arts Center in Lawrence, Kansas. Once we had the idea in our minds, it was the only place we could think of having our wedding. We are getting a good deal and having both the ceremony and the reception there. It's nice to have something set in stone!

In other news, my mom is coming to visit this weekend! Needless to say, I'm pretty pumped. This means not only mother/daughter fun time, but also mother/daughter WEDDING fun time! I have yet to try on an actual wedding dress. Hopefully that will be something we can do. I will post pictures of our weekend next week!

Early Valentine's Day flowers from Ben! So cute!

I wouldn't mind...

2009-02-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

...seeing Ben in a suit. You know, I'm fairly sure I never have. I've spent so much time thinking about what I'm going to wear, and my bridesmaids, that I have barely thought about what Ben will wear. Here are a few looks I like and hopefully Ben would like too!

I like this look because I can really see Ben in it. I think he would love the vest. He definitely needs to wear a vest!

I'm not too sure about the pinstripes... but I think Ben would like it.

Here it is, the main attraction! I can see it now...

my current inspirations

2009-01-28T09:21:00.001-08:00

I had my first day of school yesterday! Yikes! It actually wasn't so bad. I was really nervous, but the two classes I had seem like they are going to be fun. And I actually know someone in one of them! Yay! Anyhoo, so Ben and I celebrated by watching Manhattan. I really think it was a lot better than Annie Hall. Now, of course, I'm obsessed with Diane Keaton's wardrobe. I need a good blazer stat! Now on to the wedding related blogging!Wedding planning is just difficult. All I do is google things and look at pictures, which I guess is good. I have to get inspiration somewhere, right? Still, no solid plans have been made. I thought I could give you all an idea of what I'm going for.This dress from J Crew is amazing. I'm pretty much obsessed with it. I thought I wanted to make my dress, but when I see this I just want to buy it!

I honestly can't remember where I found this photo, but I LOOOOVE the veil! I'm thinking of cutting my hair that length again and so I will probably need that veil!

I found these custom cake toppers on Julie plus Todd, but they are from Etsy. They will custom make them to look like yours truly! I thought these ones kind of looked like us. More to come later!

blizzard bunnies!

2009-01-14T14:46:00.000-08:00

So... Chicago is really snowy right now... have you heard? The snow is piling up in ridiculous amounts. It's kind of awesome slash kind of annoying. Today of course, was the worst day because I didn't get to stay home and cuddle. Mandatory orientation at my new school! Yay!

After it was over, I trekked to H&M with Benny. It's never too snowy for that! Anyhoo, while I was there with no money and without my five lovely bridesmaids, I found the perfect purple dresses. They were $20! Did I mention buy one get one free too? Perhaps I'm an idiot for not buying them, but I really feel like something better will come along. But with my ladies scattered from Wyoming to New Jersey, it just wouldn't work. They would need to be altered I'm sure. So... sorry to my lovely bridesmaids. I will find something just as lovely... eventually...

If I was a bridesmaid instead of the bride...

2009-01-13T10:25:00.000-08:00

I would want to wear this dress, except I would want it to be purple. I have a slight addiction to that color. It reminds me of a dress I used to play dress up in as a child.

Margarita Love... oh, and Ben too!

2009-01-13T08:50:00.000-08:00

Here's something to get you through this Monday-like Tuesday! I was looking through old pictures and found this one of me and Ben. It really wasn't that long ago, but still, it is fun to reminisce. This was taken on Ben's birthday, I think two years ago. We still lived in Lawrence and probably ate at El Mezcal once a week... We had a problem. Damn those deliciously cheap margaritas!!

Ain't he cute?

feathery 2009 ideas

2009-01-04T12:47:00.000-08:00

It is officially our wedding year! I feel like I've been neglecting this whole wedding-planning thing because of the holidays, but I plan to get on it very soon. I have a lot of ideas brewing and have received a very helpful book for Christmas. (Thanks Mallory!!)

I really want to make boutonnieres for the groomsmen, but with feathers and such instead of flowers. As much as I LOVE flowers, I want to make something that will last and the guys will be able to use again... if ever they have an occasion to do so. I borrowed the image above from a $10,000 wedding. I think it is cute take on boutonnieres and of course I love the button! We'll see what the groom thinks of it...

Basically, I just love feathers. I really like this yellow one, which actually isn't a boutonniere at all. It is for you hair! So... that might be something else to consider. More ideas coming soon! Stay tuned!

8 bits of LOVE!

2008-12-19T06:11:00.000-08:00

I just found this invitation on Brooklyn Bride. I think it looks like something Ben would really like... And I was right! He just said, "yeah, that's pretty cool."

I've basically just been reading all these other wedding blogs to get ideas. My other favorite is Julie + Todd. She has a lot of of really cute ideas! Anyhoo, they are both very cute blogs that you should all look at!

the beginning

2008-12-16T10:06:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our wedding blog!! Ben and I got engaged last month. We don't have any specific plans yet, but we both have a lot of ideas. Follow our blog as our wedding date gets closer!! We promise it will be fun to read!