Halloween (300)

Now that we're getting married in less than a year, every holiday my littlest brother comes to me with his big ol' puppy dog eyes and says "This is your last *insert any holiday here* with us! Do something special with me!" So rather than going out with some friends tonight, I took little bro trick or treating. He suggested that I wear my wedding dress, but I thought it'd be a little (WAY WAY!) to risky. Poor little John-John. As excited as I am about getting married, I sure will miss my family. I think John's going to have the hardest time with it. He's my buddy :)

Excitement :) (301)

I never get tired of talking about the wedding :) My aunt and I talked about it tonight and I was able to show her my dress and talk about the church and everything. I could feel my face glowing :P Like seriously...it was bad! But, as much as I can't wait to be married, I've resolved to enjoy every second of planning to the fullest. My aunt was saying that after her wedding she was sad because the planning was over, and I think that I'll be like that too. Thrilled to be married, but sad to not be planning a wedding.

Veil (302)

My grandma is in town this week and she's going to help me make my veil :) We went to Joann's today and looked at patterns for veils and trim and beads. We found one pattern in Vogue that I liked, so we pulled it out and looked at the directions. It was 25 bucks, but we think we can do it without the pattern. I'm looking for something pretty simple with beads around the edge.

Our Story (303)

Today I posted our story on a separate page. It's just right up above - just click the tab that says "Our Story" :)

10 months! (304)

Just 10 months from today! It still seems like it's pretty far away, but I know that it will go by so fast!

Invites (305)

Why must these simple invitations be over 3 dollars a piece? It's SO simple. The cheap ones are these horrid, gaudy things that I would never dream of sending to people that I care about.

Boxes (306)

Whenever I tell people that I'm not going to school in the spring, they look at me like I'm not going to have anything to do and that I'll either become this lazy blob or die of boredom. That would never happen even if I wasn't getting married. I live with two Tasmanian devils who would be enough of a job for anyone. But, since I am getting married, that'll give me plenty of stuff to do. I have to make my invitations, which will take forever, and I'm planning on making 800 of these -

yeah....lots to do. Not to mention the other planning and work. I'll be working 3 full days and 1 half in the spring instead of 2 and 1. Which I can live with :) I love my job.

Dress :) (307)

So I picked up my dress today :D I'm actually wearing it right now cause it's gorgeous :D You have no idea how much I want to post pictures of it, but I can't because that would spoil it. If you've seen it, you're one of the chosen few because most of you have to wait for the wedding :) I'm SO excited!!!!!!!

Also, I am reminded that I really need to get better about working out. These arms don't look so hot in a strapless dress :P

Books :) (308)

I just got this book from a friend of mine. Just so y'all know, I'm totally open to receiving marriage books :)

Yummy! (309)

Uh, is my man amazing or what? Check out what I came home to today :D

Hand Cramps :P (310)

Well, I've officially finished addressing all of the reception save the date cards and I don't think I ever want to write anything with a pen again. Now I have to address the wedding save the date cards...but there are a lot fewer of those because we're sending one to the entire church instead of sending them to individual people.

Another thought...is it tacky to hand out invites to guests that I see all the time instead of mailing them? Cause that would save us like literally 100 bucks in postage :P  

Centerpieces (311)

I love this centerpiece. I love the low, simple look. Something that you can see over :P

Place Settings (312)

Place settings like this make me want to have a full course meal at the wedding and reception - but it'd be crazy expensive to do that for our numbers. What do the tables look like for a reception with just dessert? The ones that I've seen are pretty plain and boring, and I don't want that.

Change of Plans (313)

This is really unrelated to wedding planning or marriage, but it will change the way I plan a lot. This WAS the plan. I finish out this semester, take 19 units this spring and finish my last class this summer. Then I would have my associate's degree and would be able to build on that when I moved. I went to see a school counselor today to ask if a particular class would count towards my major. She told me that it's not possible for me to get my degree by August because ONE CLASS is only offered in the fall, and it's much to late to register for it now. Boo. So, I'm going to finish out this semester, and then I'll be done at Fresno City. I can't say I'm disappointed, I never liked it, but the degree would have made it so much easier to transfer. So, with spring and summer semester off, I'm going to have a lot more time to work on wedding stuff! I'm really looking forward to it :)

Long Distance (314)

I've recently gotten several emails from girls who are in long distance relationships asking me HOW I do it.  Honestly, my first reaction was a giggle. Not because it was a silly thing to ask, but because I don't think I handle it well at all. I'm pretty much a baby. I cry when I leave him or when he leaves me, I cry when I lie in bed and think about him, I don't have as much fun at parties cause it just makes me miss him more and I turn into this stinking jealous monster when I see my friends with their boyfriend/girlfriend/fiancée/fiancé. It's pathetic, I know. The thing that I'm looking forward to the most about getting married is that the long distance part of our relationship will be over! I'll be able to sit next to him, hold his hand, turn around and say something and get a reaction instead of texting or calling and waiting for a response. I'm so excited for that :) Only 314 days left alone :)

Our most recent picture "together." :P  

:) (315)

Yeah, my man is the best :) He spoils me so much :P

Save the Date! (316)

The save the date cards came today! :D I'm so excited! They're beautiful! :) Now I just have to sit down and write out hundreds of addresses. Fun. I really want to post a picture, but you'll just have to wait to get it in the mail ;) I love them :D

Yummy :) (317)

I stole this from my friend Allie :P I've been stalking anyone and everyone who has any wedding pictures on Facebook. I love this idea! I think this is what I want at the California reception...just tons of dessert. I love the cookie jars...and I'd definitely want to keep them cause I'm obsessed with any kind of clear glass container :P

Blessed (318)

I was talking with a girl in class today about getting married (cause that's really all I talk about :P) and she was talking about how horrible her mother-in-law and sister-in-law are to her. And she's not just the victim...she does terrible things to them too! The more I hear about other people and the relationships that they have with their in-laws, the more I realize how blessed I am to be able to marry into a family that I LOVE! And it's not only his parents and siblings, I love his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins like I do my own. What a HUGE blessing!

(Photo stolen from Madison...because I love her :P)

Engaged :) (319)

Just extra super excited to be engaged today :D I love it!

Registeries (320)

I really have a problem with registries. It's just too much fun! I registered at Target and Crate and Barrel, and it completely thrilled me, just ask Michael - he had to listen to me squeal about all the cuteness for weeks. I love that man, he's so patient with me :) Here's the problem, my wedding is still close to a year away and my registry is basically done. Every once in a while I look through and add or delete things and it's really an obsession sometimes :P

Invitations (321)

After looking around at several (and by several, I mean almost 100) "budget" invitation places, I'm decided to make my own invitations. I think I'll just recruit a bunch of friends to come and cut paper with me and make up a bunch for WAAAAAAAAY cheaper than any other place. The cheapest invitations I've been able to find (that I actually liked) were over a dollar a piece, and when you need almost 800, that's just not going to work.

Stamps (322)

So here's the thing. This up here is the only option I have for post card stamps. Yep, polar bears. So the save the date cards and the reply cards are all cute and springy with polar bears on them. I think they're cute, don't get me wrong, I was just hoping for something a little more, I don't know...summery for my August wedding invites. Boo.

Examples (323)

I'm so thankful for the parents that God blessed me with. They have been wonderful examples for me in so many ways, but I'm especially thankful for the way that they handle their marriage. Not only have they taught me what it means to be a godly wife and mother and what to look for in a husband with their words, they have lived it out daily for me. I've been reading and listening to a lot about marriage recently and it makes me sad to read about some of the things that people don't know when the go into a marriage - things that my parents taught me years ago. Thanks Mom and Dad :)

December 30th, 1989

Candles (324)

I absolutely LOVE the way these candles look down the aisle! The church that we're getting married in doesn't allow real candles, but I've seen some really nice electronic candles at Target that just might do the trick.

Love (325)

I love this man.

Nips! (326)

So it's not spelled exactly like our last name - Knipp (I love to say that :)) But, I still think that people will get the idea. I'm thinking that a cute little box of Nips with a pretty ribbon will make a sweet favor. Plus, they're caramel, so for people like my crazy fiancé who don't like chocolate they're perfect. I'm also thinking that I'd like to have some kiddos pass them around instead of having them at the tables. My little cousins did this at my aunt and uncles 50th wedding anniversary and they loved it (and the guests thought it was pretty cute too ;)) I'm going to have an over-abundance of children at both my wedding and my reception, so I think that giving them a job might be a good idea. :)

Shooooooes! (327)

LOVE these :) They're just the standard dye-to-match shoes from Payless :)

Veil (328)

When I tried on my dress, Jenni, the girl who was helping me, brought out this gorgeous veil that I LOVED! Here's the thing. It's $149. Yeah. Do you know what it is? About $2 worth of tulle, a plastic comb and $.50 worth of beads. Yep, $149. So, we're thinking that we can make something just about as nice as the one at David's. I'm pretty sure this is the one that they had at the store. Very simple with beads just on the end. I think my mom and I can do a pretty good job. 

DRESS! :D :D :D (329)

I got my dress today! :D I'm soooo pumped! It's EXACTLY what I imagined (I had even cut the picture out of several magazines ;)) I wish I could post a picture, but y'all will just have to wait. I think I tried on 7 dresses, and two of them I really loved, but the one that I picked with just perfect :) I'm SOOOO excited! Plus, it was only $500.17. Definitely in our price range. Momma was bracing herself for 1,000, so this was great!

Shopping :D (330)

So tomorrow, my mom and my sister and I are going dress shopping! I highly doubt that we'll actually purchase anything - I just want to look around, get an idea for what's out there and find a good price for our budget. But, who knows? Maybe I'll find something for a reasonable price? Inexpensive clothing has a way of finding me ;)