Helpful Hint for The Brides-To-Be

I have been behind but always wanted to give some love to some of my favorite girls. I recently forwarded to a newbie Bride-to-Be one site when she told me she had bought about five bridal magazines that day. I told her - This is all you need when planning a wedding - The Library. I am behind in giving my reviews, but got my wonderful photographer and florist in there. Seriously - this site rocks.

Wedding Budget Woes

A friend's fiancee outed me the other day. I have kept this blog very underwraps with co-workers and friends - actually very underwrap because I never even mentioned it to them! But she outed me. However, it was good. We talked about weddings and why they are so ridiculous in price. Especially in Chicago. She had one of my favorite quotes -

These wedding prices are so ridiculous that they honestly make me want to curse at times. Like really, do they think that being madly in love with each other is going to leave us so oxygen deprived that the wedding prices are going to suddenly make us ready to sign over our financial future?

It made me laugh because it is so true. I do remember looking at a place very early in our search and actually going "we have to give them 6,000 bucks for the empty space - that is not too bad, right?" Thank god my husband slapped me silly and made me repeat over and over "Must stay under budget." (Note - please don't call the abuse line - I was kidding about the slap). So the question is are there really any great steals in Chicago? Or have all these places realized how they can make a nice big fat buck off these oxygen deprived brides? (If you know any -please, please pass along)

In other news - my new favorite blog. I think she is as peeved as my friend's fiancee.

For Brides-To-Be

I so wish I had this when I was planning a wedding. A very nice contest for brides to be. And SwishDesigns does a fantastic job!

Green With Envy

(Indiana Weddings)

So I gave some love to the fellow Chicago Bloggers on my blogger links. If I missed you, please email me and I will add you to the list!

OH - and anyone thinking about getting married outside of the city limits - please, please visit this blogger's site - Indiana Weddings. I am in love with her venue, Mon Lac Ciel in LaPorte, Indiana. It is a beautiful Tudor style manor....and seriously, the coolest thing ever - they can stay there the whole weekend because it has eight bedrooms you can rent out too! I am so envious right now!

Our Favors

(www.studiothisis.com)

I was asked to make my Buckeyes for a BBQ party this past weekend, which reminded me that I never posted about my favors. (Oops, three months later).

I really wanted to do chocolate Buckeyes (being from a long line of Ohio State graduates), but I also wanted to do something with my husband's irish heritage. I know it was pretty much a typical favor - but I still thought it was a neat way of showing both our personalities.

So a friend of my sister's created these - Chocolate Buckeyes, a chocolate clover leaf and then our initials. They tasted amazing! I then printed out our "logo" and found ribbon that matched our colors, which we alternated on each box.We had one issue. The boxes became a little too greasy, so we had to find new boxes the day before the wedding. I then used my bridesmaids (my own little sweatshop) to put them all together.

My Favorite Ring Shot Ever

Ok, everyone has their own tastes, so I totally give it to them for having a unique wedding. But this did make me giggle.

Married Life Bliss

What have I been up to as a married person?

1) Updating the "old school bachelor pad" to a house for 30-something, somewhat modern newlyweds. We definitely have similar tastes, but it is amazing what tastes do not match (Me - vibrant colors - reds and oranges. Him - brown, brown and brownish khaki).

2) It was my birthday and we decided to put a new roof on the house. We joked that was my birthday gift, but then really all I got was a card, a kiss and a nice dinner. Welcome to married life, my friends!

3) ok, technically I got a little more than just a dinner for the b-day. We bought a new camera - a nikon D40. I have yet to read all the directions, but have already taken a ton of photos of our children (dogs, cat and ivy plant).

4) Lastly, because I have been obsessed with the Olympics over the last week, I have also gotten heavily involved with Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics. Please visit their website and make a video as to why we should have this bid!