Miss Buttons' Bling

I’d like to take a moment to turn the spotlight over to….my beautiful ring! She and I had a wonderful little glamour shoot the other day. Photographer, I am not…but I did use the tutorial that many a Bee before me has…

Mr. Buttons was extremely particular when it came to picking out the center stone. That man was constantly online, searching for the perfect round. He read up on his C’s, and was adamant that my ring be as close to perfection as possible.

Bravo, Mr. Buttons.

Like the pinwheels? They are one of my DIY projects!

Clearly, I couldn’t resist implementing a bit of my Bee persona into the background…

***By the way, if you were wondering the other day which setting he selected, it was #3!***

Did you give your ring some glamour shots? Tell me about your ring!!! And, just curious…are there any other Michael M ladies out there in the hive? At this point, I haven’t found anyone else who shares my ring designer!

Sometimes I'm decisive

When it came to selecting bridesmaid dresses, I surprised myself by being pretty darn decisive.

I wanted to make the bridesmaid dress process as easy and streamlined as possible, since my ladies are all from different states. I immediately honed in on J Crew’s bridesmaid collection. I figured that they would be familiar with sizing, since it is a pretty common store. There is a great selection available in colors, fabrics, and dress styles.

Because the wedding is at the end of May in Florida, I knew that I wanted short dresses. I also zeroed in on the silk chiffon options, in the hopes that they would stay cool with a light and breezy fabric.

Then, the color selection. After ordering a few swatches of the silk chiffon, I decided that the Vintage Blue was best suited for the look I was going for.

As for the dress style? I decided to let the girls decide for themselves. I am not a huge fan of everyone matching (although if they all wanted the same dress, then I would have been fine with that), so the dress options that J Crew offered provided my party with some variety.

So, what will my maids be wearing? MOH L and BM A are going to be wearing the Sophia:

BM K will wear the twist tank dress:

BM L will wear the Juliet:

All images from J Crew

Overall, I am excited that there will be variety in my bridesmaids’ dresses, yet the color will be cohesive! I went ahead and created another inspiration board for the overall look for my bridesmaids:

Bridesmaids dresses: J Crew, Flower earrings, Hair Pin Set, Chandelier earrings, Bird earrings,Turquoise bead necklace, Leaf earrings, Fabric flower necklace

Was your bridesmaid dress search long and drawn out, or did you make a quick decision?

I Am Not Particularly Romantic

You know you have one of these people in your group of friends. The one who feels awkward giving hugs (hey, there is something strange and uncomfortable when someone is breathing on your neck!)…someone who isn’t really that big into PDA’s. Ok, in my group of friends there is more than one of us, but perhaps we are just a strange group…

Did that all change when you met your significant other??? It did for me...

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Mr. Buttons gives the best hugs. The very best. I am biased, I realize. If I am having a bad day, I want a hug. If I am having a good day, I want a hug. I want to hug him in public. I want to give him a hug when we are just sitting at home by ourselves. They are the best.

I am almost ashamed at how mushy gushy I have become since I’ve been with Mr. Buttons. I can’t believe that I am the girl who is holding hands in public, sneaking kisses (without a care in the world as to who sees them), and calling her man by a nickname. It seems like just yesterday I was looking at similar couples and silently gagging a little bit. I'm not sure what spurred the change, but Mr. Buttons has certainly brought the lovey-dovey romantic out of me!

Are you big on PDA’s with your significant other?

Inspiration for my bridal party

One of the hardest things I had to do with the wedding planning process was to pick a "theme" and to go with it. There are so many wonderful ideas out there in wedding-land, and picking just one was almost an impossible thought for me! So, I decided to make an inspiration board early on. Some of the key words that I want to embody in our wedding are "whimsical, modern, lighthearted, late spring/early summer," etc.

This one in particular is the original inspiration for myself and my bridal party (note: the dress pictured is NOT my wedding dress...still trying to keep that somewhat of a secret at the moment).

Bridesmaid dress (JCrew), flower girl dress, hair flower, wedding dress, shoe (Nordstrom), necklace, garters, bouquet

Did you make an inspiration board at the beginning of your planning process? Did you stick to it?

Hair Through the Years

My hair style has never been on the long side. As a baby, I was bald for quite some time, so my hair was naturally short for the first few years of my life.

Around kindergarten, I acquired the somewhat mushroom-like shaped hair cut.

I did rebel for a short time during middle school. I mean, come on, all the girls had long hair! I felt the need to conform, can you blame me? Thus began the awkward stage of long hair, bangs, braces, and some pretty awful clothes. I prefer not to share photos of that time, just trust me that they are bad. Just think: Converse sneakers with tube socks jocked up to mid calf. Ugh.

When I started high school, I received the chop…to right about the shoulders. Which then evolved to a short cut by my chin/ears during high school/early college.

During college, it fluctuated (I had a traumatic experience with a hairdresser who “slipped” when cutting my hair…and it was left at about 3 inches long total...even shorter than the picture above...the week before sorority recruitment. Ouch.). And, apparently I learned to like color during college, as my hair transformed into an auburn/red hue!

After college, I sported the inverted bob with bangs. And...I got sick of the red hair. In an attempt to return to my natural color, I dyed my hair what looked on the box to be dark brown, but turned out to be more black in reality.

This eventually washed out, and I was left with a side banged version of the inverted bob that I love.

…and then I got engaged. And I promptly decided that I am going to have to grow out my hair. Because, well…there is just not a ton of “hair”spiration, if you will, for short haired brides out there. Currently, my hair is about an inch or so past my shoulders.

A relatively current photo for reference's sake (add an inch!)

Did you have any hair/fashion successes or failures as a kid? And, did you immediately start growing out your hair in preparation for your wedding?

New Year's 'Wed'solutions

Ok hive, I’ll admit it…I am notorious for NOT making a New Year’s resolution. This is probably due to the fact that generally, people tend to make unattainable promises to themselves or make unrealistic goals (“I’m going to go to the gym EVERY DAY…” cough cough…yeah right! For a week!).

However, I wanted to take some time to make some “Wed”solutions this year (too cheesy??), as our wedding day is swiftly approaching.

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So, I’m publicly announcing to you all that I resolve to let go of the reins a little bit with the planning process. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I can tend to be…controlling? Particular? I can be hesitant to let others help me with things because I want them done in a specific way. I know that this is something I am going to have to give up when it comes to the wedding; there is no way that I will be able to put my hand on everything! I should put my trust in the professionals (and my mom/family) to get things accomplished so that I am able to enjoy my day!

Next, I am resolving to get my little butt in gear and tackle my DIY projects. I have time (now), but I absolutely do not want to have to fold 300+ paper pinwheels on the week of my wedding!

Finally, I want to promise myself that I won’t look back on wedding decisions with regret, but to appreciate and enjoy every detail and moment that I can. It is so easy to second-guess yourself, whether it is dress regret, wishing that you selected a different menu, or wanting to change your color scheme completely. I want to be confident in the decisions that I make, focus on them, and take in my wedding day for the amazing experience that it is going to be!

What is your New Year’s resolution?

Some Bling for the Bridesmaids…

I love a deal. I love shopping. I will admit, I am a hopeless bargain store shopper (give me a TJ Maxx or Marshalls and I am a happy girl).

I was out shopping for a shower curtain, and on a whim I decided to look in Burlington Coat Factory, since I knew they had a home goods section.

Well, little did I know that my trip would quickly turn wedding-related, as when I stepped through the door, what did I see but a jewelry rack chock full of brooches!

I have grown quite fond of the idea of attaching a brooch to my bouquet (and those of my bridesmaids)!

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Don’t you think the brooch adds an extra little “je ne sais quoi?”

I was immediately drawn to these blue beauties, which I think will pop against the bouquets (all of us will be carrying white flowers)!

So, what do you think? Are you planning on adding a little something extra to your bouquet(s)? What are you planning to do/what did you do to spice up your floral arrangements?

Just my luck!

Over the summer, it just so happened that there was a wedding expo at the St. Pete Times Forum in downtown Tampa, so mom and I decided to attend and see what it was all about!

Hmm, looks deserted???

We arrived a few minutes before they opened the doors to the event...as we walked up to the building, the two of us were wondering if anyone was actually showing up to this shindig; it looked pretty deserted out there! I shrugged and said "well, at least we'll get through the entire event at a decent time!" The clock struck noon, and we were allowed to enter...

Now, this was my first official wedding expo that I attended, and there are some tips that I would highly suggest you implement in order to streamline your visit!

1 - Bring address labels!!! Honestly, this is a complete and utter lifesaver! You are going to want to sign up for every single giveaway at every single booth, and your hand will pretty much fall off from filling out your address, phone, email, etc on each form unless you have these with you. I brought along a sheet of return address labels from home, and it cut down the time it took me to fill things out significantly!

2 - Be methodical!!! Yes, it is exciting and a bit haphazard when you enter the event...you smell food from caterers, hear music and see lights from DJ's...there is a ton of stimulation going on...FOCUS! Being a perfectionist, I figured out a plan of attack before we began; starting from the back row of booths, and snaking our way up and down the aisles to make sure that we did not miss anything. I will say that I HATE crowds, and it was ridiculously packed in there...I tried my best to just push my way through. Yikes....

3 - Sign up to win...everything!!! Ok, so I know its already a given that you'd enter to win whatever each and every booth is giving out...but seriously, it could work out well for you in the end! Many of the vendors have some great prizes...and who knows, you could be a winner (of course, I did pass by the tables of vendors that we didn't need)!

And...wouldn't you know it...I sure did win!

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The day after the wedding expo, my phone started ringing. I pick up the phone, and it is one of the florists from the show! Apparently my name was drawn, and I will receive $500 of flowers for my wedding! Yahoo!

And, if that wasn't enough, later on my phone rang AGAIN...and it was an event management company. I won a Day of Coordinator package from them! Holy crap!

I seriously couldn't believe my good fortune! Up until this point, I couldn't tell you a time when I've won something, and to take home two prizes from the expo was seriously mind boggling! Both of them are things that I wanted/needed for the big day. This was a bright shining light on what was an overwhelming start to the wedding planning process!

Did you attend/are you planning to attend any wedding expos during your planning?

Asking the Button bridesmaids...

So...all of my bridesmaids are from out of state (I like to make my life complicated). I honestly tear up when I think about how far away I always am from my best friends! As the time came to ask them the big question, I was pondering the best way to do it! A phone call is nice, but I was hesitant to do it. Then, I was out running some errands at Target, I wandered into the card section. It was there that I came upon the most wonderful card...and a light bulb went on! Check it out!

...and I have 4 bridesmaids...it was meant for me!

Perfect - who gets snail mail anymore? I think the cards were just beautiful, and I was able to personalize each one, recalling fond memories from our friendship. I thought they turned out great (mind you, this occurred before my DIY obsession began...so store-bought cards were all I knew at that point!!!)!

The finished product, replete with my ramblings!

So...who are the Button Bridesmaids?

MOH: My bestest buddy - L! We met in college through a mutual friend (and now bridesmaid) K. We all went out to dinner together one night, and K assured me that L and I would be best friends by the end of the night. She was exactly right...and we've been attached ever since! L is also busy planning her October 2010 wedding...so exciting!

Bridesmaid K! We met our freshman year of college. We both joined the same sorority, so we were constantly at meetings and events together!!! Since college, we've been lucky enough to schedule some fun times together in Atlanta where she was at grad school; we always manage to have an exciting time together!

Bridesmaid A! My beloved little sister in my sorority...we first met during my sophomore year of college. For those of you who know what I am talking about, I was busy "shopping" for littles out of potential new pledges...and I set my sights on this one! She is a red-haired clone of myself, we always just "get" each other! She is currently at medical school...I'm pretty sure that she's going to save the world someday.

Bridesmaid L! We have been friends since our freshman year of college when we pledged our sorority together. We lived together during our sophomore year, and senior years. We've had so many adventures together...from teaching her how to pump her own gas (she's from Jersey), to jumping in the huge fountain after graduation!

Are you having a wedding party? If so, are any of your bridesmaids from out of town?

A very special birthday dinner

So, after Mr. Buttons and I went shopping to find my perfect ring style, I got my stinky nose out of it (as much as I possibly could)! I kept wondering how long it would take for him to make a purchase, and I kept thinking of the most opportune moments in which he could propose.

One thing about Mr. Buttons that I absolutely love is that when I ask for something, he somehow manages to get it. Seriously, he is a great listener (GASP! What?!?! Crazy…I know!); he remembers all of the little clues that I drop, and even picks up on hints I’m not aware I’m giving! Case in point: I was looking for a new bikini online one day, and was oohing and ahhing over one in particular. And, wouldn’t you know it? That little beauty arrived in a box a few weeks later! Good job, Mr. Buttons! Anyway, being the control freak that I am, I did mention to Mr. Buttons that if I could have the perfect proposal, I would want to be dressed up and look fabulous.

My birthday was right around the corner, and Mr. Buttons suggested that we get gussied up and go to our favorite restaurant (and, consequently, the location of our first date: Casa Ludovico…seriously, if you are in the Clearwater area, you need to make the trek to this restaurant, it is phenomenal) to celebrate. I spent a few hours going through my closet, unable to decide on the perfect outfit. I had a feeling that it was “the night,” so I wanted to make sure I was picture-ready in the event that I was right (even though Mommy Buttons assured me that he had not yet asked Daddy Buttons for permission yet…and I knew that he wouldn’t propose without doing so. Mommy Buttons LIED!). I landed on a pretty turquoise Calvin Klein dress with a pair of Betsey Johnson heels, and Mr. Buttons and I went on our merry way.

In the car, Mr. Buttons pointed out my birthday card that was sitting between the seats. He informed me that I had to wait until dessert to open it. When we arrived at the restaurant and began to eat dinner, I couldn’t help but notice that Mr. Buttons was inhaling his pasta at an incredibly fast rate. He had polished off his plate before I knew it, and I began to scoop some of my own dinner over to him. I guess he wanted to get on to dessert as soon as possible!

One of my favorite things about Casa is their tiramisu. Oh my goodness, I DREAM of their tiramisu…it is that good. I dare you to look at it and NOT drool…

(Ok, this is picture from a different event, but its the only photo I have of the dessert...yummm)

We never go to Casa without ordering dessert, and this night was no different. I told Mr. Buttons to go ahead and order it while I ran to the ladies’ room. When I returned, I noticed a group forming around the kitchen doors. Every single staff member was converging there, and they began to walk to our table, carrying a plate of tiramisu. One of the waiters was holding a bouquet of roses that he presented to me. The light bulb switched on over my little button head. Mr. Buttons prodded me to open my birthday card. It read:

“Miss Buttons – I enjoy every day that I get to spend with you. From the first time we met on the beach to the many times we get to just hang out and watch movies. I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else at this moment…”

I looked up from the card, and Mr. Buttons had produced a small black box (which the bartender had been hiding behind the bar). I stared at the ring in surprise…it was exactly the one I had been eyeing. I am pretty sure that something like “SHUT UP!” escaped my mouth (how classy)…and I was so excited that I missed the rest of what Mr. Buttons had prepared to say to me.

I tuned back in to hear him say, “Miss Buttons, will you marry me?” and promptly began to kiss him. At this point, the entire restaurant’s attention had been drawn to our table, and everyone was waiting while Mr. Buttons was giving his speech. Some guy yelled out, “did she say yes?!?!” before he even officially asked. Did I actually say yes though? I’m not sure! I suppose it was an implied yes. When he put the ring on my finger, the entire restaurant broke out into cheers and applause, and I’m not going to lie, I really enjoyed being temporarily the center of attention. Restaurant patrons kept asking to look at the ring, and I was more than happy to show them of course!

With that, we were officially betrothed! The phone calls began on the way home from dinner, where Mommy and Daddy Buttons had some champagne waiting for us when we returned! Best…birthday present…ever…

Was your proposal a public event or a private affair?

Shall we talk about the ring?

Ah yes, the ring. The tiny little bauble that so many girls dream of. Once the topic of marriage came into the conversation, I decided that we should start to “browse” through some ring options. Because, well…Mr. Buttons had an adorable, yet old fashioned idea about engagement rings (in my opinion)! When I suggested that we go shopping so that I could give him hints about what styles I like, he was slightly confused.

“I thought the ring was supposed to be a surprise, and that I have to buy it by myself…???”

Hmmm. Albeit an incredibly romantic gesture, I knew that I would have some very specific opinions on what ring I ultimately wanted, and my desire was to point him in the right direction.

So, I asked him if he would feel comfortable walking into jewelry stores and picking something out.

“Nope.”

And this, dear hive, is how our engagement ring journey began.

Mr. Buttons and I decided to stop by one of the large International Diamond Centers in town to start our hunt. I had been looking around online and had become very fond of pave bands (I love how vintage and timeless they look), so I knew that is what I wanted to try on.

When we walked in to the store and looked into the cases, my eyes immediately honed in on one particular designer, and it was all over before it could even begin!

The Michael M collection launched in 2008, and their line is absolutely breathtaking. They focus on using a plethora of diamonds and less metal in their settings (each engagement ring mounting contains around 100 diamonds), which results in some MAJORLY blinding levels of sparkle. The rings look like they’ve been dipped in diamonds, and I had to pick my jaw up off of the glass case, because I am pretty sure it came unhinged. Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself…

All photos from Michael M

I tried on a ton of rings that day, but I kept going back to the Michael M pieces. There was one in particular that was just perfect. We didn’t leave the store with a ring that day, but Mr. Buttons now had a clear picture of what my little button heart desired: a pave setting, and a round stone. And boy, did he ever deliver on it!

P.S. my setting is pictured above…want to take a guess which one it is?

Did you help pick out your ring?