newest obsession

Hi Dolls!!
I hope that you all had an amazing Thanksgiving, ours was very relaxing...and for the first time since I have been a working gal at the age of 16, I had black Friday off. WOOOOHOOOO!!! Fiance and I hit up the malls and got some great deals, I will definitely do everything in my power to get it off again next year :)


A few things that have happened since I abandoned you 2 weeks ago:
My mom turned 50 (insert your best AARP joke here!!) HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!! I gave her the birthday gift I found on Etsy and she cried, it mad me so happy that she loved it.
I have found 98234029384 things that I want Santa to leave under my tree. 
Our tree is up and the Christmas decorations have taken over our condo.

My Mom and I saw Pauly D, from the Jersey Shore, in Homegoods at 2:30 pm on a Friday afternoon, with a body guard.....good choice Pauly D, Homegoods is known for getting super out of control at a moments notice.
I lost 1 lb :) This is awesome for me since it takes me a super long time to lose weight, now I am on a health kick to keep it off and work on the next one, yay!!!!!


Wedding events:
I have decided that the headband I posted last time is #1 on my list, but that I want to wait to get one until my dress comes in and I can go see it again. I have saved it under my "faves" on Etsy. 
My BFF/MOH and I discovered a Jeweler in Newport this summer, Alex and Ani. I had totally forgotten about them until recently, and I have been scouring their website. Their jewelery is made from recycled materials from the US, and it is so fun!!
I have fallen in love with this bangle, which happens to be my favorite color, and has a special wedding meaning:
"Known as the love stone, October's rose helps the wearer feels a strong sense of self-worth, therefore being worth love. Rose is also the stone of unconditional love in marriage. Wear rose to motivate gentleness, forgiveness, compassion, kindness and tolerance. Each charm hangs from Alex and Ani's patented Expandable Wire Bangle, the most innovative concept in jewelry, which allows the wearer, with the slide of a hand, to adjust the bangle for a perfect fit. Wear alone or mix and match with other Alex and Ani styles for a custom look. Available in Yellow Gold and Shiny Silver".


So, I am really hoping this pink one might be under my tree, or any tree that Santa leaves gifts under for me :). I also think this would be a super fun gift for my Bridesmaids, because it will match my wedding and I love the unconditional love theme that it carries with it. 


I discovered a body scrub this week from Aerie, it smells like sugar cane and it makes my skin baby soft and all glowing.  As of right now, you can't buy it online, but I was able to score 3 for $15.00 in the store. They are regularly priced at $14.50 each, so I got an amazing deal. If you get a chance to stop into an Aerie store, and if their body products are on sale, get a scrub, it will change your life (obviously I have a very exciting life if a body scrub is a game changer hahahahahahahahaha). Seriously though, its amazing and I am sorry I haven't discovered it sooner. Go try it out and get your bridal glow on!!!



That is all that I have for you this week! Have a great weekend!
xoxo,
amanda

fighting the urge

Hi Dolls!!!


I am dying for this headpiece... I really want it for the wedding! What do you think? Will this work with my dress?? It's only $39.00....maybe Santa will get it for me .
It can be found here on Etsy. This seller has a ton of other wedding day chic hair accessories and head pieces that double as sashes/belts, just like this one!




Also, I need to tell you about my Maid Of Honor/BFF's boyfriend's movie....

November 20th my friend's indie film Gotta Find Barry premiere's at the Park Cinema in Cranston. The story of 2 gravediggers who break into a haunted mansion to find the spirit of their dead best friend so they can hang out one last time. It'll be a fun night, so go to richcampent.com and buy a ticket for $10!!!!!

If you are in RI you need to go see it, the trailer is hilarious and I am sure the movie won't disappoint!!

Hope you are having a good Tuesday. Don't forget to check out the movie, and leave me some opinions on the head piece. I love inexpensive glam wedding pieces!

xoxo,

amanda

Kicking off my wedding DIY checklist

Hi loves!!
I have a few exciting things for you this week...
First, my mom is turning the big FIVE OH this month, and I found the perfect birthday gift for her. But, I can't show you until after her birthday because she is going to be reading this :) hi mom!
Second, I bought my cake topper from Crafty Eddy. I found him through Project Wedding. Ed doesn't have a website but can be reached at craftyeddy@gmail.com. He responded to me within an hour after I sent him my first email, and he has been extremely accommodating, even suggesting I scale down the size of my cake topper to better fit the top tier of my cake. It was only $14.00 which included shipping to anywhere in the US. Ed had a ton of fonts and styles I could choose from. Without further delay here she is:

I will be painting it and covering the front with rhinestones, so it will sparkle on top of our cake! This will be a really fun project for me, and I can't wait to show you the finished results. I have put some pictures of cake toppers which were purchased from Craft Eddy, and then finished by brides.

EEEPPPPP! I can't wait to get my hands on mine. I also got a glue gun at Ocean State Job Lot for $2.98. I am ready to spend a fun winter playing with wedding details!

I will keep you posted with pictures as soon as I start playing with my cake topper. If you have any questions, I highly suggest that you contact Ed. He has been such a delight to work with and I would recommend him to any bride.

Until next time dolls, have a great week 

xoxo,

amanda

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....in the malls

Hi loves!!!


I hope everyone had a spooky Halloween, we have had a nice relaxing few weeks. 
Things that happened this week:
My ipod no longer holds a charge, awesome.
I think that we have skipped fall.
It snowed at my house this week.
I made chocolate chip pumpkin bread....twice. 
I created my Victoria's Secret PINK wish list, there's 2 things on it, and I want them (in my brattiest I WANT IT NOWWWW voice). 


I went to do some errands at target last weekend and it looks like Christmas threw up. But, the benefit of all of this is that I scored a sweet 6' Christmas tree on sale for $20.00. My family has aaalwaysss had real trees, and fiance and I have too. However, they keep getting more and more expensive, and the clean up is far from fun. This is my first year with a fake tree, and it has already saved me money, yayyyy!!!


I have no exciting wedding news for you all, but I found these awesome DIY (Do It Yourself) pomander balls instructions. I will be using them to make some pew decorations for the ceremony.

Winter is the perfect time to get going on all of those little details that you didn't have time to work on in the summer. Make sure to scour the internet coupons for Michael's, Christmas Tree Shops, Hobby Lobby, etc. before heading out to buy your supplies.


Send me some of you DIY projects for the winter, or completed projects, with pictures and I will feature them in my next post: blondebride@cox.net.


I also need to tell you that I have a most amazing mother. She ran and completed the Tufts Women's 10k a few weeks ago. She is so inspiring!! I had fallen off of the gym wagon, but her never quit attitude has inspired me to get back in there. Last week I went to spinning, and I am already signed up for this week and next week. 


I'm off to think about and stress about Thanksgiving, I am looking forward to your DIY emails!!!!!!


xoxo,
amanda

fb me

Hi loves!!!
Just a quick reminder to check me out on facebook. I post mini finds there daily, a ton of fun stuff that may not make it here.....friend me!!!
xoxo,
amanda

master chef!

Hi loves!!!


You should all know that I am still swooning over my dress. Not a day goes by that I don't look at a picture of her....sigh....I want to wear her every second of every day!!!


This week was fun, nice and short with Monday off. My birthday was a few weeks ago, and I had asked for the Skinny Italian cook book, by my all time favorite New Jersey housewife, Teresa Giudice. My entire family laughed at me, but my mother still went out and got it...THANKS MOM!!!! For the first time this week, I made my own pasta sauce, and it isn't half bad. The tomatoes were on sale at the market, and I have a huge container of it in my fridge, and one in the freezer. All things considered, this is turning out to be significantly less expensive than buying sauce, and my fiance loves it which makes it that much more rewarding, yay! I highly recommend that you all make your own pasta sauce at some point, regardless of which recipe you follow. 


I don't have any fantastic wedding news for you today, but I have found some cute ideas online:
A beautiful Gray Chicago Wedding, how beautiful are her bridesmaids?
A parasol to capture your message in your photos, can be purchased on Etsy. We are definitely doing this for our 'thank you' photo!




Trend alert!!! Brides are now wearing shoes to match their wedding party, not their dress and I have to say that I love love love it!!!
   
   
 

That is all for today, I hope you all have a fantastic week!
xoxo,
amanda

Officially a Maggie Sottero bride

Hi loves!!!!!

I have found her..the most amazing wedding gown...Maggie Sottero's Mona Lisa Royale. I love her :) I went shopping with my mother and grandmother in NH today (tax free yay!) at Marry and Tux Bridal. Our consultant Katy was the best. This was not a dress I had originally picked, Katy pulled it and we ended up loving it. Lesson learned, trust your consultant, she knows what she is talking about. We had an amazing experience at Marry and Tux, and I am so excited to have such a major to-do crossed off. 

I need to thank my amazing mother for making sure I could order the dress of my dreams. I am beyond in love with this dress, there is nothing I would change about it.

Feast your eyes on the most beautiful, cinderella, princess ball gown that you have ever seen:

In other, way less exciting news, I found the perfect fall handbag at forever21 for $28.00, and before you judge remember that I am a bride on a budget. Forever21 has some fashonista looks at good prices, it's hit or miss and you have to commit some time to digging through the clothes!!!

Perfect for some Jeggings, black leather boots and a tunic or sweater....love love love it.

They have some cute jewelry stands that would be perfect for bridal shower favors, or for bridesmaid's gifts, and at $8.80 they are totally reasonable:

For all you students out there, or just out of college brides, the Steve Madden store gives a 10% discount to anyone with a valid student ID. I am 2 years out of college and they let me use mine, probably because I am the only loser who saved it and they felt bad hahaha....anyways, totally worth a shot next time you are at the mall and a great place to look for your wedding day look shoes!!!

I am off to scour the web for some shoe possibilities to go with my amazing, perfect dress.

xoxo,

amanda

This deserves it's own post

I dropped a jean size.
I can hardly contain my excitement.
that is all.
xoxo,
amanda

Hi loves!!!


First I want to apologize for the weird spaces on some of my posts, I don't know why they show up, and when I try to get rid of them it gets worse....grrrrrrrrr, they annoy me.


Second, sorry for abandoning you for almost a month. I wasn't feeling super inspired but I am baaackkk! yay!


So...what has been happening in my life in the past month. Well, I made my first apple pie, and thats about it. Pretty exciting huh?


Wedding news:
I have made my first appointment to go gown shopping over Columbus Day Weekend. I am going with my mom and fiance. I know that some people may feel that this is breaking a tradition, or bad luck....but the truth is that he is my best friend and his opinion is the one that matters the most to me. When it comes down to actually choosing which one I want to purchase he will not know and I will most likely make that decision with my mother, maid of honor/bestie, and mother in law. 
I am already in love with several Maggie Sottero dresses, and I have a feeling that I will end up wearing one of her gorgeous gowns...I can't wait!!!!


Last time I told you all that I fell in love with moroccan lamps, well one of the ahhhmazing ladies on Project Wedding found 30 lamps for me on ebay for $130.00....EEEEPPPP, I love them!!!


Next week is my birthday yayyyyyy. Fiance took me shopping for a birthday present early and he got me the Tiffany Notes I Love You ring....aawww I love him!!!!







I am so excited to celebrate with my family this week, can't wait!! I will be back soon!!!


xoxo,


amanda

I missed you

Hi loves!!!

I know that I have been super MIA lately, but for good reason! Fiance and I have some fantastic family members (my Aunt & my Uncle) who planned a fabulous vacation for us, and with the help of my Mom made sure that most of it was paid for!!! How amazing is that, I love my fam, they rock and it was definitely a much needed vacation.

We spent 5 days in Vegas, and it was surprisingly relaxing. Fiance got a tattoo of a cross on his back, with our wedding date in the center....go ahead, you know you want to say it..AAAWWWWW...hehehe...I love him!

The Tattoo was done by the ahhh-mazing Dina Rose at the Las Vegas location of Club Tattoo. If you are ever in Vegas, go check her out, she's worth it!

Some more fun pics from the trip:

I missed you all, and I am super happy to be back home with my puppy and fiance and slightly less enthusiastic about going back to work on Tuesday....insert my best Snookie whine yet.

During my daily wedding website stalk I stumbled upon a new gem, Style Me Pretty. And, I think I have also stumbled upon the most amazing non-floral centerpieces ever. I am LOVING these Moroccan Lamps, and I am 99% sure that a significant amount of my time will be devoted to finding some so that I can use the as my centerpieces. I am seeing my floral budget shrink, SCORE!

I hope that you fall in love with these romantic centerpieces as fast as I did, and if you don't keep it to yourself while I sit here and swoon, thanks.

Now I just have to locate them...I will keep you posted as I am sure that you are all dying to know how to get your hands on some romantic, white Moroccan lamps :)

While discovering this new website, which will quickly become a fav of mine, I also found a very intimate black and white wedding. For those of you just joining us, black and white are two of the colors I am using. Obviously I had to stare at these pictures forevahhh, feast your eyes on wedding porn: perfect black & white wedding.

That is all that I have for you now. I hope that you all have an amazing long weekend!!

xoxo,

amanda

choices choices choices

Hi loves!!! 

just a quick post today about colors!!!

You may be feeling a little overwhelmed thinking about what accent colors you want to use for your wedding. Project Wedding has broken down the most popular colors and the significance behind them. I hope this helps you lean one way or the other....for those of you who are curious I am black/white/pink with soft gold accents. I can't wait it will be so romantic and elegant!!!

"The colors you choose for your big day reflect your personality and style. You can create a sophisticated environment or a whimsical escape. Colors can influence moods and exude sensuality, coziness, earthiness and youthfulness. With tasteful variations from vibrant to pastel and shimmery to matte, your wedding day colors speak volumes about you and what you hold dear. Whether you choose your favorite colors for your wedding or select hues to complement the current season, we have compiled a list of some wedding color choices and what they say about you."

Black: A conservative choice, black complements almost any color, especially lighter hues. Dignified and mysterious, black denotes sexiness and sophistication with a modern twist. Black is classic, never trendy, alluding to a modern bride. As an opulent choice, black is timelessly elegant.

White: Symbolic of purity and innocence, white has strong connotations of youth and perfection. White aficionados seek excellence and enlightenment, as simplicity and recognition are constant ventures. White is a glorious hue (or lack thereof) that denotes a clean palette or fresh start for those who seek serenity and peace.

Red: A passionate, romantic choice, red is impulsive and outgoing. Depicted as zealous and ambitious, red symbolizes love and rage. Whether it denotes joy, celebration, happiness or prosperity, red elicits a dramatic response from both sides of the emotional spectrum. Red lovers tend to be restless and optimistic and go along with people with uncomplicated natures. A powerful selection, red is sure to represent a fiery hostess with 'look at me' flair.

Pink: A softer, girlish choice, pink is the sweeter side of red. A delicate hue, pink represents a sensitive heart that is affectionate and nurturing. The bride surrounded with pink has a maternal grace and compassion and a desire for protection or shelter. The rosy hue fan may also have a strong personality, but one that is willing to share.

Orange: Spontaneous and daring, brides who choose orange are bold. Because orange is a happy and trendy hue, orange enthusiasts tend to be popular, have excessive energy and are part of a large social circle. From a bright and happy backdrop to an exotic, spicy richness, brides who prefer orange tend to be fearless and curious, with a zest for life.

Yellow: The color of a sunny day, yellow denotes happiness and hope. Exuding warmth and vitality and usually possessing a great sense of humor, people who love yellow have cheerful spirits and optimistic values. You tend to look forward to the future and are intellectual, creative and idealistic. Yellow represents enlightenment and spirituality, lending itself as a great color on your day of matrimony.

Green: Green shades symbolize life, freshness, nature and fertility. A common choice for eco-friendly brides, green shows that you value your health and the environment. A harmonized and balanced color, green is a mixture of warm yellow and cool blue, just like its admirers. A calming and tranquil hue, brides who select green are affectionate, frank and responsible. You seek stability and balance, yet remain fiercely principled and refined.

Blue: Soothing, compassionate and cool, blue is the color of tranquility and royalty. Blue belles are deliberate, introspective, conservative and patient, tending to be sensitive and wise. Serene and cool, blue denotes cautious partners who are faithful but require a calm and harmonious existence. From watery aqua to a deep shade of midnight, blue can be soft and sweet or strong and bold.

Purple: Often associated with both royalty and luxury, purple is a passionate color. Choosing purple symbolizes dignity, tolerance and value. Violet lovers tend to be unconventional and observant, with a multifaceted personality. Tolerant and witty, purple devotees are likely to achieve authoritative positions. From light lavender and lilac buffs, who tend to be charming, witty and cultured, to deep eggplant lovers, who are creative and talented, purple can be provocative or sweet.

Brown: A natural, neutral color of the earth, brown represents wholesomeness and dependability. Symbolizing comfort and contentment, brown represents honesty. Just right for your wedding day, brown is substantial, steady and responsible. From rich chocolate and dark coffee to cream and soft beige, this earthy shade can be intense or pale, dramatic or modest. 

"The aforementioned color synopses are not strict rules or character definitions, but rather are designed as an indicator of what is important to you. Whether you select a spicy orange to match the falling autumn leaves or a peony pink simply because it is your favorite color, choose what looks and feels good to you. Your natural selection is indicative of your true self and innate style."

Hope you enjoyed this fun article as much as I did!

xoxo,

amanda