Happy, happy holidays!

Since I didn't send out holiday cards, I figured a blog post would have to do. Though the holidays are a totally different experience while planning a wedding - less time to get obsessed with making paper decorations upon paper decorations - I've finally gotten into the spirit. Our apt is very festive and my birthday is right around the corner. Here is another pic from our session with Paige! Sorry, not edited yet, so still with watermark.

"Merry Christmas...from the family." REK

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, fun, and delicious beer! 

Sneak Peek of Engagement Pics

From our wonderful photographer, Paige.

Tree by the Yellow House - Fredericksburg, TX

At the Gillespie County Jail - Fredericksburg, TX

Lauren W. made us some awesome signs!

I think they're pretty cute! Can't wait to see some more!

Save-the-date assembly!

Only had two bounce-backs so far with save the dates so I'm assuming most people have received them. I wanted to share the assembly process with everyone. It took about a week, but was well worth it! Lauren W. did an awesome job designing the coasters and I've gotten a lot of sweet feedback from so many recipients, it's been wonderful - all our hard work paid off! FYI - pics taken with iPhone so excuse the quality.

Envelopes arrived along with the printed draft. 

Starting stamping envelopes with our custom return address stamp designed by Lauren W.

Final proof and envelope in my office window!

They're here! Printed at McCarthy Print in Austin. 

But they look like this...I had some gluing to do. We used rubber cement to bond the paper die-cuts. 

Lauren and I's workspace. She designed and assembled custom envelope liners in four patterns! 

Coasters were pressed between particle board to seal and flatten.

Let there be coasters! Stuffing and stamping with my nerdy database.

Testing the results.

Off they go to our guests!

Wedding dress is here!!!!

A month early! Going to try it on at Unbridaled Saturday morning! Hip hip hooray!

Save-the-dates are out!

Be on the lookout!

Also, here is the latest workout:

Weeks #7 and #8

• 40 minutes of aerobic activity at least three times a week
• 3 sets of 10 stomach crunches
• 2 sets of 10 push-ups

Happy fall! If only it felt like it...

Seen on Bridal Bar

Wedding News

Hey, party people! I've been gone so long! I just thought I'd give you a little update on wedding things.

Lauren W. and I have been working on the save the dates - totally custom - and they will be in your mailbox soon!!

Bridesmaids dresses have been ordered!

Invitations are being finalized!

Rehearsal dinner location has been decided!

So many exclamation points, so little time. This weekend I'm working on getting our guests some hotel rooms and addressing and sending the save the dates. (Wedding) Life is good. I'm gonna try very hard to post more...

P.S. Courtney and Nick are bigtime. Their wedding was featured on one of my favorite blogs, Love and Lavender. Check it out here!

P.P.S. Check out this AMAZING dress!

JLM Couture gown from The Bride's Guide

Wedding Workout

For the next two weeks! Get on it people (and me)!

Weeks #5 and #6

• 40 minutes of aerobic activity at least three times a week
• 2 sets of 10 stomach crunches
• 1 set of 10 push-ups

Centerpieces galore!

Style Me Pretty

Kyle Hale Photography

The Sweetest Occasion 

Style Me Pretty

100 Layer Cake

Happy October!

Good news is it's starting to feel like Texas fall; we've been having really lovely weather lately. Bad news is my allergies are outta control and I didn't do my workout plan last week b/c I was busy, busy. Here is this week's workout to remind all of us ;-) 


Week #4: 30 minutes of aerobic activity at least three times a week


Ok, well, I feel like I already do that, but I need to get to the gym! 

In wedding-related activities, Lauren W and I have been getting my save the date out the door. It is so cute and I can't wait for everyone to get one! Also, I hear my bachelorette party is in the works. We'll be going to New Orleans in March and I'm super pumped! Matt and the boys will be going to viva Las Vegas (be good)!

Hope everyone has an awesome week! I'll be looking forward to ACL this weekend!

Naomi Murrell

Updates all around!

Hola, familia y amigos! I felt a nagging urge to post so here I am! Life has been so busy lately with work, social life, college football, allergies, and wedding and I don't see any slowing down in the foreseeable future!

As for the wedding, I've been investigating hotels in the area and will hopefully have a block of rooms soon - all information to be posted on our Knot site in good time. Also, we've been pinning down rehearsal dinner information. Last week Lauren W showed us a rough draft of the wedding invitation - Matty and I love it so much, it's perfect, and we're keeping it a big surprise! Today, I get to see a draft of the save the date! Ah, one more - we've got all the bridesmaids in dresses! I know I keep saying this, but they're gonna look real cute!

Social life is promising to be very fabulous this week with Courtney and Nick's wedding right around the corner! I am so excited to be spending the weekend with all of my bestest friends along with performing my hostess duties.

Today, Mama and Steve are coming for a visit - always love having visitors in Austin! Have a good week, everyone, and cross your fingers for that cooler weather!

I'll leave you with this cute picture!

Shape up or ship out!

Well, it's that time...I've tried to avoid it b/c it is one intimidating task on the checklist: get in wedding day shape! I'm not exactly gaining extra time before the wedding so it's time to get started. We hit the seven-month mark last week and I found this "6-Month Fitness Makeover" on the Knot. I like it b/c it breaks the workouts into weeks and you can work towards the next week, which I love, and that's why I loved the couch-to-5K workout so much. Maybe some of you can join in with me - I'll update the blog for each month's workouts! Time to kick some booty.


Month 1 of the plan looks like this:

This month, you should mainly be focused on just getting active and engaged in the program. A good way to get motivated is to start a workout diary. Write down the date, all the reasons why you need to work out, and what your goals are. Write down your weight (always weigh yourself in the morning for consistency), and use a measuring tape to record the size of your chest, waist, hips, thighs, and forearms, so you can monitor your progress. To stay motivated, keep notes all the way through. 

Tip: Weigh in and take measurements once a month only. 

Focusing on quick results will only discourage you.

Weeks #1 and #2

20 minutes of aerobic activity at least three times a week

Weeks #3 and #4

30 minutes of aerobic activity at least three times a week

We have a date (for engagement pics)!

Matty and I will be taking our engagement pics on Sunday, November 21st, with Paige! I am so glad I won't be sweating and ruining the pics since they'll be taken in November! I also love winter, it is my favorite season - my birthday is during this time and my hair tends to look pretty good and not frizzy. As for current news, most of Texas is getting drenched by a tropical depression. Here's to a four-day, wet work week!

Thursday, Thursday Inspiration

It has been a while since I've posted some pics...

Style Me Pretty

Elizabeth Anne Designs

Brooklyn Bride

Once Wed

Lisa Barnes-Orlandi at the Peagreen Shop

Let there be registries!

Links - feel free to pass these along:

Honeymoon

Crate & Barrel

Bed, Bath & Beyond

Courtney and Nick's Engagement Pics!

By Bend the Light Photography - check the rest of the sesh out on their blog!

Pic o' the Day!

Cute invitations by Katie Day!

via Love and Lavender

Wedding News!!

Good morning, all - I haven't posted an update in a while so here goes...

We found an officiant! Yay! Judge Jon Wisser - he's been a judge here in Austin for many years. He was recommended by our coordinator, Aimee, and she was spot on. He is super nice, personable, and has a great energy (or vibe, as some might call it). We are very excited and relieved to have found an officiant.

We're planning engagement photos for the fall with our photographer, Paige- and will either be taking them in October or November. They will be shot in Clarksville, our neighborhood, Pease Park, one of Penny's favorite haunts, and a special location that I'm keeping a surprise for now.

THE dress: As I mentioned earlier, it has been found. I am super excited about it. My mom is coming this weekend to see it for the first time, then we're placing the order! Wedding dress here I come!

I guess that's about it for now. On a side note, it has been miserably hot here - cannot wait for "fall". Stay cool, people!

On bridesmaids

Having just posted about bridesmaid dresses, I thought it might be fitting to post this article from A Practical Wedding that addresses the question: "What is a wedding party, exactly?". Please check it out - I found it worth the read (this coming from a person that has a slim attention span, esp when reading blogs).

Ask Meg: Why Is The Wedding Party So Fraught?

Introducing Thread Bridesmaid!

I dunno if choosing a bridesmaid dress line is officially choosing a vendor, but I will consider it as such. I have loved the Thread line since DAY ONE! The designs are relatively simple with great, modern detailing. Luckily, the dresses are even cuter in person and very flattering on the girls. I won't post any pics yet so I don't give too much away. All you need to know is the girls are gonna look amazing! Cheers to my lovely bridesmaids!

Hostess time!

Recently, one of my good friends, Courtney, asked me to be a hostess at her wedding. As you could guess, I jumped at the opportunity! I love helpin' out and I love weddings. In fact, Court and I talk about our weddings almost every day on g-chat, which has been so much fun and what, some might call, crazy - but not me! I can't wait to see how everything comes to fruition on their day b/c I've seen so much of the inspiration and I know it will be the lovely, feminine, purple-y fest that so represents my friend. It is coming up, too, on September 24th. We will rock it out in style. For more info, check out their cute blog!

Court and I at her bridal shower

Can I just say...

I am so excited for this wedding?! Can't wait to marry the love of my life. On a side note, Lauren and I are making great progress on the save the date and invitation!!! P.S. Found THE DRESS!

Monday, Monday Inspiration

Paper decor is where it's at!

Snippet & Ink

Jesi Haack

Ashley Ann Photography via Design*Sponge

Dolci Odille

Simple Silhouettes

Happy Friday!

Exciting thing about this weekend is......it will be a nice and relaxing weekend at home, as relaxing as any weekend can be these days. I have three more appointments for dresses tomorrow. My mini-entourage this weekend is Aunt Linda, Courtney E-friend, and Christy-friend. Let's see if I can narrow down "the one" even more! Other activities include possibly seeing Inception, tennis (if not raining), and our friend's little girl's birthday party. Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Wedding News!!

Tonight, we're meeting with a potential officiant, and she even agreed to meet us at Red Bud Isle, one of the best dog parks around Austin, which makes me think this chick must be pretty alright :-) Also, wedding dress try-on day one was so much better than I ever expected. It was good to start seeing what looked good and what didn't and I even think I might have found THE one though I'm still gonna look at a few more places just to be 100% positive. The dresses are so much prettier in person and trying on was a lotta fun. My mini entourage was so sweet and I think everyone had a good time. Seeing myself actually look like a bride was a surreal experience. I've also decided on a line I like for my bridesmaids' dresses and maybe even a color...eeks! But more on that to come in the future...Happy Monday, everyone!

Happy Friday!

This week has been pretty good! We started off with Matt's birthday and now we have his official party this weekend, with bits of wedding planning and work, work, work in between. Oh yeah, besides the party, I will be trying on wedding dresses for the first time tomorrow!! I have a mini entourage of my mom - Lee Ann, my aunt - Linda, Lori (MOH), Allison (BM), Matt's mom - Jayne, and Matt's sis - Jessica (BM) coming with me. Hopefully, I'll get some good ideas, and I already have a few. Hope everyone has a good summer-fun weekend!

oooooo lala - maybe I'll find something like this?? via Moodboard

Happy birthday, Matt!

My lovely fiance, Matthew Leach, turned 27 today! He is such a hard-working, kind, smart, funny human being and I cannot wait to marry him! We had his first celebration this past weekend (on our visit to see sis, J, and the rest of our beloved Chicago peeps) at the Chicago Brauhaus and Huettenbar in Lincoln Square, a German neighborhood. Also, paid a special visit to Hot Doug's just for him! Today, I surprised him with 3-day passes to ACL (Strokes, here we come!) and we had dinner at Jeffrey's in our neighborhood. This weekend we'll be having a party at our apartment with our families and friends! We'll be toasting with (512) Wit! HAPPY B-DAY, MY LOVE!

Introducing Coco Paloma Desserts

So we officially have a cake baker! Paloma from Coco Paloma Desserts is amazing and pays attention to every single detail, producing beautiful, high-quality cakes! I knew it was a creative partnership meant to be. She even said something like: I'm not trying to be forward, but I think I'm the person to make your cake! And she was right. She gets it - my favorite quality in any of the vendors we meet (and usually leads to us signing the contract). Here is her blog! The flavor I have chosen for the bride's cake is: bourbon praline cake - yellow cake doused with a bourbon soak filled with homemade pecan praline buttercream - yum yum!

Monday, Monday Inspiration

Ruffled

Once Wed

Kyle Hale Photography

The Bride's Cafe

Ruffled