Laura & David

Save the Date!

2012-03-04T21:38:00.000-06:00

E-Save the Dates are "green" and great for couples with a budget.

Alton VFW

2012-02-05T23:04:00.000-06:00

For design inspiration, here's our reception hall in the raw:

I Said Yes to the Dress

2012-01-22T22:07:00.003-06:00

I can't show you a picture because it would ruin the big punchline - but I found and purchased my wedding dress today! It was at David's Bridal. I could have shopped around some more - I had planned on checking out Carole Frew's and went to a little place in Collinsville called Champagne and Lace, but what can I say? When you know you know. I had to choose between two beautiful gowns, and it was a touch choice, but in the end, the dress that was more me was my dream gown. Easy on the pocketbook too.

David also picked out his tuxedos - yes, he decided to go with tuxes. Technically, we won 6 free plain black tux rentals from Williard's Formalwear in Fairview Heights, but since we wanted brown we were able to put the cost of the free ones toward the cost of the ones he chose. So we're still getting a pretty good deal. They're chocolate brown, almost black, and David will be wearing an autumn orange, while the other guys wear a leafy fall green.

I need to go shopping with Marissa for bridesmaids dresses and she can help me pick out the brown color. I have something in mind, but that way we can look for something for her too! The other girls will have to wait for swatches in the mail so they can go find their dresses. This is all starting to be very exciting.

New Wedding Site

2012-01-09T14:14:00.004-06:00

I know it's only been a few weeks since we even got engaged, but I've moved our wedding site to theknot.com. I got sick of logging into multiple sites all the time, so I figured this made the most sense.

http://griffithinlow.ourwedding.com/

Promise not to change on you again ;)

Date set!

2012-01-07T22:20:00.000-06:00

We'll be getting married on:

at the Benjamin Godfrey Memorial Chapel at Lewis and Clark Community College, reception to follow at the Alton VFW Hall. Times TBA.

Stay tuned for e-Save the Dates! :)

Chapel? Check!

2012-01-06T18:58:00.000-06:00

We put a deposit on the chapel and signed our contract today! So I snuck in on my lunch break to take some photos for decoration inspiration. I forgot how pretty it is, even if it is white and simple.

I also read about it some more. I mean, I know it used to be across the street (my family came to watch it being moved when I was little!) and I knew it was in use during the days of Monticello College, but I never knew what religion it was or who worshipped there exactly. Apparently, it was a non-denominational chapel on purpose - so that everyone who lived in this area, no matter their religion or denomination, could come and worship together. Neat, huh?

Flower Deal of the Century

2011-12-29T01:07:00.000-06:00

I know this planning thing just got started, but when you find a deal like this, you have to jump on it. Old Time Pottery had their fall flowers on sale for 75% off, so we got the materials this afternoon to create pretty much everything from ceremony and reception decor to boutineers and bouquets, all for well under $100 total. Check it:

The beginnings of the bride's bouquet

The beginnings of the bridesmaids bouquets

Some fall accents for the bouquets

Centerpiece idea: If you have any brown or green wine bottles, please save them for me.

A bunch of the flowers ready to be stored upright so they don't get messed up.

I actually can't wait to play around with the bouquets, to make them into something unique for the event. I have some more ideas for centerpieces so those are going to be some fun too!

Fall Color Planning

2011-12-29T00:35:00.002-06:00

You'd think picking colors would be fairly easy, especially since I've had the basics picked out in my mind for the last several years... but you'd be surprised at all the subtleties that come into play.

When I think fall, these are the colors that come to my mind, emphasis on the brown, green and orange. Yellow and red are really just thrown in there because most fall leaves and flowers will have some red in them, inevitably.

Now, keep in mind I know these are bright and a little overwhelming, so most of what we choose will be more like muted shades of these colors. In fact, we got tons of fall flowers 75% off at Old Time Pottery today (which I have a feeling saved us a TON of money) that are good examples of this idea. Of course I can go brighter with ribbons, accessories (ties and the sort), and have some fun with those.

I think I want the girls wearing a slightly darker brown than this, and the guys wearing much darker (chocolate brown, almost black) pants with white shirts with either orange or green ties and coordinated flower boutineers. David can wear a dark chocolate brown suit (with jacket) and the opposite color tie. A good chunk of the wedding party lives out of town so I'm thinking of getting some fabric swatches I can mail out and have the girls pick their own dresses (I reserve the right to veto, of course, but I trust my girls. ;))

AND the planning begins...

2011-12-27T00:30:00.001-06:00

Thanks to www.theknot.com, I'm not TOTALLY new to this whole "planning thing" - I'm like Monica Geller from "Friends," I've had bits of this planned for years if not all my life - but there is still A LOT to do.

I thought I was going to work on some house projects and whatnot during my week off, but instead I'll be spending some of it making calls to reception halls to get enough info at least to choose a date. Once that's done I can slow down and go at a more comfortable pace.

I promise not to be a bridezilla.

We'd like a fall wedding and I'm pretty set on October. Together we settled on a date we'd love to book - with several possibilities if that one can't work out. We've also started to figure out the wedding party we hope to recruit ;) Tomorrow I've got to figure out some budgeting with my mom.

We Are Engaged!

2011-12-25T17:47:00.001-06:00

Dear friends and family,
We are getting married!!

Last night, David and I opened Christmas presents. I should have known something was up when he wanted to drink champagne while opening gifts...

After opening the gifts we already knew we were getting, he told me to check the stocking on the left for one last small present. I followed some notes from that stocking to another stocking to an igloo Christmas tree ornament in a mini scavenger hunt and found my Gemvara green tourmaline Hercules knot engagement ring waiting for me!

Everyone's excited and 2012 will be a great year. We are thinking sometime in the fall and we've got a few other weddings to work around, but those are stresses to worry about another day.

For now, we are just feeling lucky to have found one another. :)

Merry Christmas!

Love, Laura & David

Happy Holidays from us!

2011-12-07T21:43:00.001-06:00

This isn't the particular design we went with, but you get the idea. These are our holiday cards this year. :)

Rating TV Shows

2011-12-04T01:41:00.001-06:00

We are in the process of adding a tab to this site for a project we're working on. Yes, we are rating pratically every TV show we watch. For now, but we hope it lasts a while.

Our story in 200 words or less...

2011-12-04T00:58:00.001-06:00

Laura and David met in Mrs. York's Algebra III class at Alton High, but didn't talk much until years later when, through friends and significant others, they met again and became a couple in May 2007.

In 2008, they moved into the Lincoln Lofts in Downtown Alton and adopted a kitty named Sadie Gray. In 2009, they bought a house in Alton and adopted a calico kitty named Hayley Two Face -aka- Mini Cat and have been living there together, happily, with crazy cat allergies, ever since.

Laura enjoys Halloween, photography, running and all things "Supernatural." David enjoys sports and indie music. Together, they watch way entirely too much television (did someone say "Friday Night Lights?) and have spent a few too many summer vacations on the farm in Manchester, TN. ;)

To be continued...

Welcome to our blog

2011-12-04T00:42:00.001-06:00

We've tried this before, but hopefully it will stick this time. This blog is for friends and family who want to keep up with us and what we're up to these days. It may not always be exciting, but whatever it is, we'll be together.