Engagement Pictures

This one is going to be super simple and sweet...and have a ton of pictures. As part of the getting married process, it is custom to take Engagement Pictures. On Sept. 11, 2011, my mom came over and brought her awesome camera while Spencer's mom took us around to Saunders Ferry Park to have some amazing pictures. Thanks again to both ladies! Anyways...Enjoy!

The Send Off

We've all seen this, right? At the end of the night, the wedding couple leaves the place with things thrown at them...for good luck? I dunno. Anyways, most of the time it's things like, bird friendly rice (which taste like cake sprinkles), birdseed, bubbles, confetti, rose petals...shall I continue? I could find a whole list for you!

Anyways, since Spencer and I's wedding theme is already so out of the box (come on, it's a video game), we decided we'd do the send off in style. Before I tell you what it is...Let me give you a little...background on how we came about this. It won't take long, I promise! :)

So, the other night we were laying on the couch watching "Tangled". Yes, we watch Disney movies together and are not ashamed of it! Anyways...in the movie the main goal for Repunzel is to go and see the "floating lights". Which ends up being the floating paper laterns.

Once this scene came up, I looked up at Spencer (I was laying in his lap) and asked him what his thoughs on this was as a wedding send off. He rather liked it. Every time I watch this part in the movie (which is only twice now) it gives me goose bumps and I kinda tear up. I think it's magical, romantic, and just plain beautiful.

Being a huge romantic and great saver of money, I started looking up ways to build these things. Let me tell you...it's actually cheaper to buy these things prebuilt then it is to make it.

So, as I'm looking for good sites, I keep seeing the same thing over and over again. And to me, it seems perfect for the wedding!

Apparently in Northern Thailand, they use them for celebrations all year long. One of the big ones is for the 2nd month of a traditional Thai calendar (that's all the information I've found out) and it is said to look like sky jellyfish floating away. However, it is said that the floating laterns are a symbol of good luck and of problems or worries floating away. That's kinda cool!

Needless to say, I'm really excited about it. And where we'll be right by the lake....SO PRETTY! What we're going to need to do is have a latern for every two people. Mainly because it takes one person to hold the hoop at the bottom and one to hold the top.

Just make sure you bring your own lighters! :) I do plan on having the bridal party going around helping everyone light their laterns. It'll be so neat and I just can't wait to see them floating away!

Back at 'em!

Alright, so yesterday was my future nephew's combined birthday parties. Since Jack's birthday is on the 9th and Grant's is on the 17th, they just had a huge family get together yesterday.

Anyways, try to follow along with this...Spencer's sister's husband's brother-Daniel (did you get that?)-is going to officiate us at our wedding. Because Daniel lives in Michagin, it makes having a sit down chat with him that much harder. Well, they came in for the week on Saturday and we were able to talk to him about wedding plans.

I'm super excited about having him do it! :) He is a boneafide minister doing the whole apprentice thing. It's rather cool because we will be his first among many marriages.

Because it's his first he has to have a sit down meeting with his pastor-the guy he's apprenticing under-to get all the stuff together that he'll need. Like, the type of vows we'll want (other than traditional), and all the other things that will be needed from us for him.

Daniel is every stoked about our theme, he says that it's just nerdy enough for those to understand it but classy for those that won't. xD That's me! And he says that I was just born to get married. Lol, with my Uncle Joe taking pictures, my Aunt Angi making the cake, having Lee and Sharon there to help with alterations, and my Aunt Tammy doing my hair and makeup, I'm pretty much all set!

I can't believe that I'm getting married in nine months! Geez, it'll be here before I know it. Come on cool weather! I need to get started cleaning things out around my mom's house!

Just not sure anymore

For those that have been following along with both my sister's blog and mine, they already know...but those that haven't...well, two weeks ago I got hit with a bomb. My parents are going to be divorcing.

I've had a pretty rough little time with it, but have managed to move on from that. I understand and except the changes in my family. However, that hasn't stopped me from stressing.

When I got the text from my mom a couple weeks ago saying that my mom and dad wanted to sit Spencer and I down and talk to us about something, I asked her if everything was okay. I knew it wasn't because she didn't answer my question. Not long after that, I was talking to Spencer and told him that if this is another bad thing that's going to happen with our wedding...if he would rather just elope and be done with it. He told me that the court house is fine with him because the end result is the same, but he still wants me to keep my promise to my grandmother by keeping the date.

Spencer and I have talked about the different options we could take outside of the wedding. Later this month, Daniel Rodgers (who is the person that's supposed to officiate us) is coming into town and we're going to have a chat with him.

I would really hate telling everyone that we've asked about making wedding preps that it's no longer needed because we're just going to the court house. More so upset for the family members from Oregon that are planning on visiting for this event.

I know, my parents are just getting divorced...not getting ride of the house, right? No, sometimes, life is hardly fair like that. Even if they put everything off until my wedding, I'm still not sure if I want to have it there. To me, it's a place of hurt and not a home. I have major mixed feelings about it all.

I've also talked to Spencer about having it at Drake's Creek Park (not the atheletic field) and just doing something really basic. So basic, that I'll just be in a white dress and not a major gown like I wanted. Then going to maybe Spencer's parents' house and doing a small reception. Everything is thrown back up into the air...and that bothers me more than anything...

This will be the 3rd time I've had to change my wedding plans, and I know that sounds super selfish...but damn it...I want to have my day and feel like a princess and let the world revolve around ME for once. I know that no one really understand that...but...that's just how I feel.

One of my New obsessions

Lately while I've been at work, which is kinda where I'm at right now, I've managed to really...really...stumble upon some of the greatest things every. I'm usually never sure how I manage to find these things, but once I do...They are the greatest websites ever!

Outside of the "Healthy Skin" where I found a youtube video explaining all of that and thought I would help share that information, I've found other great sites. For hair and makeup. We all know that I'm a girly girl, and even though I hate glitter (thank to the guard girls who loved it -.-), I love shimmery!

Okay, so I found found XSparkage . She does a million makeup tutorials that I totally love, even if I would have never to have put stuff like that together or would have had the balls to wear it out in public. If I had the stash that she had, I'd totally wear some of the stuff!

Next is Carah Amelie. She too does makeup tutorials, but she also does a lot of hair turtorials. She's an all in one kinda girl! She doesn't just use just the high end name brands (let's face it, growing up in Macon County I'd only dreamed of going to a MAC counter or owning something from Urban Decay), but she uses the stuff you can buy at Drug Stores.

Both ladies are super honest about how they feel about products. And also, they both do the Birchbox thing that I REALLY want to try out. I'm trying to convince Spencer into letting me do it! For those that don't know about the Birchbox, it's a company that sends you a box for $10 every month. In that box contains anywhere from 4-5 samples, and sometimes the samples are huge! I want to do this SO bad. Because once you get the samples, you do a review on their website, you earn points which you can use towards awesome gifts. Again...I want to do this!!!!

I've also tried loads of their tips, and I'd have to say...my makeup looks awesome! :) I know that I really need to update my collection of makeup as well as get some new stuff, like brushes or palettes.

So, since I've managed to watch tons of their videos, I've tried things that I never thought would work. Like, metal colors. Even though I have hazel (more towards the green end), they look effing amazing on me! If you enjoy sitting infront of a mirror every morning doing your makeup and don't mind spending time to do it, I would totally check these girls out!

Also, I found this one on youtube. It was how to cut my own hair (which I totally did xD). Her name is Rosa Russo. She's super cute and also does hair and makeup tutorials, but is also from Canada.

So, that's my new obsession...being vain! Lol

General

Today has nothing to do with wedding stuff. Sorry guys. But, I am going to make a general update for those that do know me and like me. Heh.

So yesterday, Spencer and I made an appointment for me to go and look around at a school in Nashville. Not just any school...but an art school. That's right folks...ART school!

So, having the Clay name means I'm already going to be late (we ended up being 30 minutes because a. I really need to cut my hair-which I did myself- and b. it was on the other side of Nashville and we took the long way-could have went threw Hermitage and saved 15 minutes). Anyways, we get there around 7 (1900 hours), and meet up with Frank who is the recruiter. He's super awesome! Come to find out, he too went to CU and hated it! xD

We didn't leave the school until 9:48 (2148 hours). It's amazing. There are so many different things I could do and I totally can't wait to get started. I'm really going to have to look up places where I can get scholarships or grants, because I don't want to pay $24,000 a year for school. Even if it's awesome and they have great programs and wonderful studios...

So, as we were finished with the tour (which I ran into Lici Bolton while I was there and totally not surprised to see her) and we're walking back to the car, Spencer stops me. He turns me around and tells me that...if this is something that I really want to do, then he'll back me up and go into debt for me. I wanted to cry! Thank you for being so supportive in everything!

But because we have the wedding coming up (several of them to attend as well as our own), I won't be able to go to school until after May of next year. So that'll give me plenty of time to look up scholarship and things for grants. That is, if I'm able to make it in.

I told Frank, the recruiter, up front about why my GPA was so low, and told him that I graduated high school with a 2.74 (which is a B- ). He said that after I submit my application that I'll need to write an essay and explain everything that happened, and the reason for my really low GPA.

Not to mention, that when I'm done with school, I'll have a degree. Let me say that again... I'LL HAVE A DEGREE!!! Who knew...I'll have the degree in Art...who guessed that lovely twist for the Clay sisters? Haha! The one that drew all the time is going to be a Dental Assistant and the one that was college bound is going for the Art Program. Ah, the irony. :)

Anyways...Wish me luck, and if you have any suggestions as to where I might start looking for grants/scholarships, hit me up and let me know!

Creating the Menu

One of the biggest challanges for bringing a wedding together is creating our menu. You would think it would be super easy. Pick something you throughly enjoy and go with it.

But then you have to take into account those that might have food allergies (such as peanuts or shell fish). What if someone's a vegitarian? Or they just don't eat red meat?

For us, it was a little bit more complex to find the right balance of things. Spencer and his family mainly grew up on the West Coast and their eating habbits mainly deal with the surf side of menus. My family is from the Mid-West area (I'm never sure why it's really called that since it's more east than it is west...) and therefore grew up on the turf side.

Fettachini Alfredo

Certain members of my family like seafood, while others think it tastes like rubber-along with mushrooms...which his family loves! Making the right balace is really hard...

Tomato with Meat Sauce

Once Spencer, my mom, and myself finally sat down and talked about it...we came up with Italian (if you read both my blog and my sister's...you're gonna swear that we're trying to out do one another. Really...we're not. It's just a common ground thing-we both like Italian food...). Because I'll have more people to feed, and it's kinda cheap (more so when you shop at Sam's where everything is sold in bulk), we figured we'd go with some Fettachini Alfredo, a regular tomato sauce, MAYBE a meat tomato sauce, with your choice of adding mushrooms, broccoli, and chicken or shrimp (everyone likes things with choices).

Garlic Bread

I'm also loving the idea that we'll be able to make all of these things at home! Not to mention...who doesn't like Italian?! Crazy people...that's who!

Honeymoon

Magic Kingdom

Yup, you guessed it...We're planning our Honeymoon...In Disney! For those that don't know (and just to reiterate for those that do), I <3 Disney! I'm a huge fan...Have managed to visit both Disney World and Disneyland all before graduating High School.

Yes, I did recently just visit (by recently I mean my Senior year in high school). As much fun as I had with the other Princesses (yes, Jordan, you too are officially a princess xD ), I think that this time will be more...MAGICAL, than before.



Animal Kingdom Villas-Jambo House




Because I'm the one doing all the planning, we're going to make sure we hit each park. I really did enjoy being about to spend time at each one, but for me, it was too short on our last visit. I want to be able to spend the whole day at that park to explore and see what other things I missed out on last time.



Animal Kingdom







Also, Spencer and I have been talking about which Disney Resort we'd like to stay at. We're both leaning towards Animal Kingdom's Villas- Jambo House or something along those lines. After looking at all the other rooms, we both feel that the Animal Kingdom lodgings are better suited for adults. Not to mention, how cool would it be waking up and walking out to the balcony to see Giraffs walking by? I think it would be amazing.

Disney's MGM Hollywood Studios



Epcot



IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth



As I said before, I plan to visit all four parks and the water parks, so it's looking like we'll be in Florida for at least 6 night/7 days. I would totally love that! Even thought I still have a while, like 290 days, until the wedding, I'm still rather looking forward to this honeymoon.




Downtown Disney

It'd be like our own vacation. Really it'd be our first vacation together alone. Every time we take one, we end up having friends go with us to help split the cost of rooms and gas. So, this will be a lovely change of pace.



I am just glad that I'll be able to spend the first week of my married life with the man I love in the place I hold dear to my heart. I'm super excited about it!





Cirque du Soliel: La Nomba

I also can't wait to see IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot again. It was super cool the first time I'd seen it and can't wait to see it again! Also, a new thing that they've added onto Downtown Disney, which is where most of my shopping and our eating will problably be done at, is the Cirque du Soliel: La Nomba. Even if I find clowns slightly on the creepy side, I must say, I really want to go and see this. I think I'm more of the artsy-fartsy kinda person.





Fantasmic!



Last time I was at Disney we were walking around Disney's MGM Hollywood Studios when we seen the time and missed the new Fantasmic! which was happening. Instead my fellow Princesses and I just continued walking around the streets of Hollywood Studios shopping. I really want to go and see it this time!



Planet Hollywood Orlando



Because Spencer's never been to Planet Hollywood, I want to take him there while we're in Downtown Disney. I think that he'll love it, since he's a big nerd anyways. Most of the stuff in there isn't just Disney related things, but all things related to movies.

Because both of us are big kinds, and going to be spending time at these theme parks, we must not forget the water parks. I'll just need to remember to pack lots and lots of sun screen for the poor pasty skinny white guy. Lol.

Typhoon Lagoon

If I rememer correctly, that last time that we (being me with my high school band) went, we were able to go from Blizzard Beach to Typhoon Lagoon with no problem. I really hope that it's that way!




 

Blizzaed Beach

I know I really over did it with the pictures, but I figured that if I didn't, you wouldn't catch my excitement about going to Disney World for the Honeymoon, which has been my favorite thing in planning so far!