my other white dress

i'm looking for a fun white dress to wear for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. here are a couple options i found at nordstrom and macy's that i just love!

empire waist, $148
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3007604?refsid=257223_1&refcat=0%7e2376776%7e2374327%7e6005464%7e6005465&SourceID=&SlotID=1&origin=related

strapless, $118
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3030871/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6020250?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6020250&P=1

v-neck, $122
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3018694/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6020250?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6020250&P=1

bubble with soft v-neck, $138
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3028515/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6014132?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6014132&P=1

strapless maxi, $148
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=366330&CategoryID=5449

strapless daisy print, $135
http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=-49998939&currentIdx=10&subCategory=-49998947%7c-49998939&catentryId=6094370

or perhaps I'll go with a fun dress considering I'll be wearing white the next day!?! i really love these, too...

strapless with bold print, $109
http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=-49998939&currentIdx=7&subCategory=-49998947%7c-49998939&catentryId=6087322

spaghetti strap floral print, $109
http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=-49998939&currentIdx=25&subCategory=-49998947%7c-49998939&catentryId=6095673

The Glass Slipper

So, if you know me, you know I love a pair of FABULOUS shoes! I've been on the prowl for the perfect pair of bridal shoes. My favorite affordable designer is Steve Madden. They fit perfectly, they are comfortable. They are classy but still modern. Unfortunately, I am extremely disappointed in him this spring. Usually he has a pair of wedges or slingbacks in white that I would just kill for. This year? Nothing! So, here a few pairs I've found on Bellisima Bridal Shoes.com that I just love. They are all way out of my price range, but...hey, a girl can dream right?

Life in unpredictable

It just hit me--only a little over 3 months until the wedding! Although I've been very organized with all the planning I feel like I still have a lot left to do. Now that the honeymoon is out of the way (a great big thanks to Tim & Karen), we have been focusing on other things. The hot topic of the moment is where we will live after we get married. Kevin is still in search of a job, so renting an apartment with my income is not possible if we want to continue eating. My parents have offered to let us live with them if we can't get our own place, but like all newlyweds, I'm really pressing for our own place ;) After 5 years of living with roommates, both Kevin and I are anxious for it to just be us and the little Monst.

It's funny because Kevin and I both thought our lives would be so much different than they are once we were out of school. So many empty promises of the great jobs for college grads! Kind of makes our degrees feel like a waste of time. I must admit we are both feeling the stress of preparing to support ourselves after the wedding. In no way do we feel too young to get married. I promised myself and my parents that we would wait until we got our degrees. Now, after 6 years, it just feels like the next step. It's just a little frustrating to watch the economy fall apart around us right before we are supposed to begin our lives together. Leave it up to me to get married in a recession! Ha ha! The point is, we are half excited and half nervous about this big step. All we can do is jump in head first and hold on to each other. I'm sure f it wasn't one thing, it'd be another. Life is unpredictable and we've learned we just got to roll with the flow.

You just can't help but dance...

If any of you haven't heard of Ray LaMontagne, you've been seriously deprived. His music is fabulous, his voice is sexy and raspy. He has the most beautiful voice and beautiful lyrics. Kevin and I are going to use his music in our ceremony, in our wedding video and as our first dance. I can't reveal which songs exactly, because I don't want them stolen! I've learned with all my friends getting married that you need to keep the special things private if you don't want your ideas to turn up at your friend's weddings! Haha...just a tip from one bride to another.

I've made a playlist of Ray LaMontagne for this blog. If you can't hear any music, be sure to turn up your speakers. He's the one artist I can't get enough of at the moment! You won't be disappointed.

Hawaii here we come!

Kevin and I just booked our honeymoon! :) The photo above is Black Rock on Ka'aanapali Beach in Maui, Hawaii. That big, white hotel resort nestled into and on top of the rock is our hotel! Isn't it GORGEOUS? For a while I wasn't sure we'd really have a honeymoon so now that we get to spend a week on the beautiful beaches of Maui, Hawaii, I couldn't be happier! We are staying at the Sheraton-Maui (http://www.sheraton-maui.com/) from Sunday, August 2nd to Sunday, August 9th, 2009. It's located right next to Black Rock on Ka'aanapali Beach. We've been researching both Mexico and Hawaii. Due to the horrible stories about Mexico, I decided to start researching more into Hawaii. I didn't think it would be possible to go to Hawaii in the summer for less than a fortune but you can. It just takes a while to find the right place. Kevin reviewed the Sheraton Maui from people who have gone there over the past 5 years or so. They only had good things to say about it's location, the hotel itself and the beauty of Maui. He also found this great site (http://www.tripadvisor.com/) where guests can post their personal pictures of the hotel they stayed in and write their own reviews, good or bad. We looked through about 600 photos (literally) from the Sheraton Maui. All the rooms and grounds shown in their pictures looked just like hotel's website photos. It should be everything we expect and more. And who knows, maybe we'll even get to go on a romantic dinner cruise or a Hawaiian luau!?! I've never been to Hawaii so I'm ready to burst with excitement. Kevin has been to Maui already so he's happy that he can take me back to one of his favorite vacation spots. This is all thanks to Karen and Tim. They generously offered to cover the expenses as our wedding gift. We couldn't be more grateful. What a blessing!