stds and website

Did you think this would be a pervy post? Shame on you!

We sent out our Save the Dates (STDs) last week, which meant finally finalizing the wedding website.  That thing was sort of the thorn in my side.  I enjoyed doing parts of it (like our story) but for the life of me I couldn't get B to write up his parts about the groomsmen.  I ended up doing it, but I feel like know the stories are much less personal than the ones I wrote about my bridesmaids. You win some, you lose some.

Anywho, I'm not totally comfortable putting our wedding website out there for strangers to see because what if a crazy stalker booked a room at our hotel to murder us showed up at the ceremony? But here's a screen grab of the site:

I found lots of those wedding site services to be sort of crappy (no offense, the Knot!).  None of them really spoke to me and the feel I'm hoping to get with this wedding.  And I do not have the time or the know-how to build a website up from scratch.  Big props to you ladies out there that do! Way impressed over here! 

The template I ended up using was from WeddingWire and for a small fee I could buy our own domain name. Plus, it is set up to play music. Sold and sold!

BIG NEWS!

This coming Saturday I am having a trial run for hair and makeup! I'm pretty excited and I've been pinning inspiration like crazy.  I will definitely be updating on instagram, so feel free to follow me (@cregan85).  Hopefully I will get a full post up about it next week for Wedding Wednesday!

Lastly, since we're on the topic of weddings...

3 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Got Married

This article is well timed for all those brides to be out there. In a day and age where divorce is all too common, it certainly can't hurt to keep things in perspective when it comes to the "happily ever after" idea of marriage.  The story doesn't end at the wedding... it is just beginning.

Note: I'm not hating on divorcees out there. My parents split a long time ago. Both remarried and my stepparents are a wonderful blessing to me! But my concern is people who get married and then divorced 6 months later - maybe it wasn't that thought out? 

Nordstrom Bridal Style Video

I've watched this video a few hundred times and I love it.  The basis is a gorgeous simple wedding dress that has been styled in multiple ways. It's under 2 minutes and reinspired me for making my wedding "my own" without feeling the overwhelming pressure to "out-pinterest" other brides.  Ya catch my drift?

Taaarrrrrget Giiiiiiveaaawaaaaaaay! (Oprah voice)
My buddy Sam over at Sam Ispa Loquitur has just survived the bar exam and in celebration SHE is giving YOU (or me, cause I'm going to win that bish) a $25 Target giftcard.  Head on over and enter.  Plus, there aren't ninety-thousand ways to enter, which I greatly appreciate!
Contest ends Friday night, yo!

Go check out the Wedding Wednesday link up!

xoxo,
Cait 

 

random wedding musings

Our Save the Dates (which I lovingly refer to as STDs) arrived last week so I've been working on some weddings things lately.  For a while, wedding planning sort of stalled.  Not in a bad way, but just in a "nursing school is really busy and there isn't too much to do right now" sort of way.  But we are officially less than 8 months out so here's what has been going on lately:

Bridesmaid Dresses

Two of my lovely bridesmaids ordered their dresses in Austin a two weeks ago and I tagged along with two of my Houston bridesmaids last week to order theirs.  My future SIL is going this weekend (while I'm clinicals) to order hers and then they will all have dresses ordered.

I let each girl pick her own style but all the dresses are the same color and fabric (lux chiffon) from the Dessy line.  If you're bridesmaid dress shopping, I highly recommend checking out Dessy.  They have some gorgeous dresses and there were a handful of very helpful boutiques in Austin and Houston that helped us. It was quite interesting because there are SO MANY styles that a store can't possibly carry every style, in every color, in every material and in every size.  So in looking at the styles my amazing girls tried on some interesting colors and patterns.  Don't worry, we aren't going with any of the colors seen below!

all dresses from Dessy and After Six line

Now I need to deal with my little sisters.  They will be 9 and 10 when we get married in the spring.  Our ring bearer will be almost 3.  To me, this means my sisters are too old to be flower girls but too young to be junior bridesmaids.  I'm having them help with programs and seating and stuff.  But now I need to find them something to wear.  Everything is either way too young (see below left) or too sexy (below right).  What 9 year old wears a strapless dress? Any ideas, dear readers??

(I think they should be in lux chiffon since that will match the bridesmaids but I'm leaning towards knee length dresses... problem? Can't find this anywhere!)

flower girl dress via                                                                junior bridesmaid dress via

Save the Dates

We went with postcards because they are cheaper and people don't really care in the long run.  Do you need another magnet on your fridge? Are you going to savor this wedding remnant for years to come? Unless you're my mother the answer is no.  And I'm okay with that.

of course we put our dogs on the postcard!

My good friend Roxy (grrfeisty) took some pictures with us and our pups a few weeks back.  She is so talented! I'm thrilled with how they turned out. If you're in the Houston area and need photos taken, please contact her! Photography isn't a business of hers but a hobby she is passionate about and it shows in the quality of her photos.

(Hopefully these will get in the mail sometime in the next week. Enjoy the sneak peak, folks!)

Hair & Makeup
I was always that girl who got her hair and makeup done for homecoming or prom and then promptly came home and changed it all to my liking.  I guess I can chalk it up to not being that assertive and not really knowing the exact style I like.  My favorite hair style was when it was loose and had a flower in it for senior prom.

Imagine this, but a smaller flower and blonde hair.  The blondie in me can't find in actual prom photos. via

This being said, I have no idea what I want for my wedding hair and makeup.  I'll probably end up with loose curls/waves that is half pinned back to allow for a veil.  I like makeup that is glamorous and not super natural looking but not crazy either.  I think girls like Marisa Miller, Lauren Conrad and Kate Middleton always looks beautiful.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Perfection.

Anyone in the Austin area know of a great hair/makeup team for weddings? I definitely want to have these services done on site so we can enjoy getting ready at a relaxed pace and not have to worry about rushing to the venue.

If you want to get more of a feel for the wedding, feel free to check out my pinterest board!  And I'd LOVE to hear any ideas you've got!

Love, 

Cait

Linking up with Mary from Little Bit of Class Little Bit of Sass and Kristyn from Chits & Giggles for Wedding Wednesday!

New Hair and Product Love

First, I've got to give mad amazing props to my hair girl, Rondeann.  If you are in the Houston area and need the hook up, please contact her! She is at Thairapy Salon & Spa and you will not regret it.  Tell her I sent you over!

Alright, I tend to go through phases where I change my hair a lot and then I'll go a disgustingly long time without even so much as a trim.  You do that too, right? No? Just me, huh?

Here's a little walk down memory lane of my many hair styles:

Birth-2006                Feb 2007                  August 2007                 December 2007              April 2008

October 2008           December 2008            January 2009               August 2009               May 2011

October 2011              August 2012              December 2012            January 20013              March 2013

And the latest, thanks to Roandeann:

April 2013

I've been loving the ombré look lately and told her to take it even further than last time.  And she hit it out of the freaking park! I naturally identify with being a blonde, though truth be told I have no idea the exact shade of my natural hair.  And I'm 99% sure I want to be blonde again by our wedding which is next March.  So Rondeann is fulfilling my ombré needs while helping me slowly get back to blonde without totally killing my hair.  She is like a hair angel. A badass, tattooed, super talented hair angel!

And here are the other little babies that I rely on to keep my hair healthy and style it.  When I say my hair is fine, I mean like a baby.  It has no natural curl or wave or body to it.  Easy to take care of but not so easy to make it look amazing.

Left to right:

Garnier Frutis Triple Nutrition Shampoo

Shimmering Lights Shampoo Blonde & Silver (use one to two times/week)

Aussie 3 Minute MiracleComditioner

Keune Color Care Shampoo

Keune Color Care Conditioner

Big Sexy Hair Root Plump Plus

Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play
Prive Volumizing Dry Shampoo

Assuming I wash my hair everyday, I use the Garnier Shampoo and Aussie Conditioner about 3 times a week. I use the Shimmer Lights Shampoo once a week with the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle.  On the other days I use the Keune Color Care products, which I got from my salon.  It seems to be a nice mix for my hair to provide the color protection while also keeping it moisturized.

Since discovering the Prive Volumizing Dry Shampoo, I do not have to wash my hair every day and it is AMAZING.  I've tried what feels like a million dry shampoos and this one is by far the best out there.  It's a super powerful aerosol spray but the formula is a fine powder.  There are no flakes or chunks in your hair.  And if you're like me, with oily hair and skin, then usually if I don't wash my hair then I just feel like I'm masking the dirty with dry shampoo and I still feel gross. This actually makes my hair feel clean. And I can stretch a shampoo out to 2 or 3 days!

As mentioned, I've got fine hair. The root pump plus actually lifts it which has 2 wonderful benefits - gives my volume AND keeps it from getting oily fast.  Bonus!

Any other recommendations on hair products you guys can't live without? I'm a product junkie and always love trying new things! Comment below :)

xoxo,
YFG