Wedding Wednesday: Our Photographer!

Happy Wednesday and welcome to the new folks from the giveaway I'm hosting on Meg's blog!!

I'm very excited to share our photographer with all of you today!

Any couple planning a wedding has their planning priorities, and one of ours was absolutely our photographer. I definitely did my research: I went to WeddingWire, the knot, and asked friends. I interviewed about 18 photographers over the phone and kept a spreadsheet with notes. Then I ranked them and had a list of my top 11 photographers. My next task was to limit the list down to five photographers and then Andrew and I would decide together. Honestly, there were so many awesome options that getting them to five was tough! So I gave Andrew 6.

After all of that, within MINUTES Andrew identified his favorite. I either know him really well or he's incredibly decisive. 

Either way, I was pumped with his favorite since she was my fave all through the process. Literally seconds into our phone conversation I knew we would get along. We gabbed and gabbed before we talked about photography. She was so awesome over the phone that I wish we met in person! Not even half of the photographers I spoke with asked any personal questions about me and Andrew. I was advised by every source that it is essential for personalities to be compatible with the photographer since they'll be with us all day. Some photographers just described their packages over the phone and that was that. Booooring. 

Once we passed our favorite by my parents, I called her and she said yes! Yay!!!

Tessa from Starling Studio is our photographer!

She gave me permission to share some of her photos from her Facebook albums. It's very difficult to choose among all of the beautiful options, but here are a few:

We just love her style and the quality is exactly what we are looking for in our photos. 

Also, check out this wedding featured on the studio website: the reception was at our venue and those photos were a huge selling point!! So so so gorgeous!

So there you have it! We're pumped and can't wait to meet Tessa on our next trip to Ohio!

Giveaway!

Hey everyone! I'm hosting a giveaway on Life of Meg today! It's for $25 at Sephora!
Please hop over and enter!

By the way, Meg's blog? It's pretty awesome. She defines what it means to be both sweet and sassy. I just love her blog! Stay a while when you're over there and say hello!!

Click here to enter!!!!

Weekend Update!

{Linking up with Sami, Leeann, and Meg!}
This weekend was fantastic!

Friday started by seeing Gatsby with the book club. We reread the book and saw the film together. We all loved it! I definitely want to see it again and I plan to buy it!

I got a drink for the movie, too! I love theaters with bars. Such a great idea!
Chicago readers: if you go to the AMC River East 21 on Illinois, their bar charges the same amount for well/rail liquor as they do top shelf liquor. Just an FYI. :)

And OK, I'm going to go out on a limb here. I never thought Leo was unattractive, but I never really got why girls went so gaga over him...until now. Gatsby was an awesome character for him. 

I think Leo is like George Clooney and wine: gets better with age.

Saturday morning I woke up for CrossFit! It was a great workout. The people are so supportive and friendly!

Afterward, Andrew and I went to Road Runner Sports so I could get new workout shoes through their Shoe Dog Program.

You guys. This was incredible. They tested everything about me, from the simple measurements to stride and flexibility, arches, balance, etc. They were looking at me for about 10 minutes! They made custom insoles that were molded to my feet, too. It was so cool! 

I found the perfect shoes!

The saleslady said this combo is the "perfect storm": custom insoles, the perfect fit of shoe, and their brand of Drymax Thin Cushion socks. I was a little skeptical, but my 8-ish mile run today sold me.

Plus, had I not liked any of it today on my run (or up to 30 days from now), I could return anything! I also became a VIP member and saved some money on my purchase!

Thanks to this investment, we stayed in on Saturday night. It was amazing just laying around, eating a lovely dinner, and watching TV.

Sunday was another nice day. We had fun chatting with our moms in the morning and Andrew made a delicious breakfast. Like I wrote above, I also went on a pleasant run around the city in my new kicks!

Teddy helped me stretch first.

Then I ran down to Adler Planetarium. It was so pretty outside!

When I got home, however, I noticed that the tickle in my throat from earlier in the day was officially hurting. Even with Claritin, cough drops, tons of water, and a quick nap, I was done for the day. Very disappointing. 

Oh well, in all is was a great weekend!

How was yours? Did you see Gatsby? What did you think?

I love my Mom, too!

All I'm seeing on Facebook and the blog world are pictures of mothers. 

I have an awesome Mom, too! 

Now it's my turn to share cute pictures!

Yeah, she's basically the best. And I miss her like crazy. 

I'm very jealous of everyone who gets to spend Mother's Day with their moms every year. 

Love you, Mom!!! Enjoy your day and see you soon!

Little Bit of Sass Thursday!

So I got a coupon for three weeks of unlimited classes to CrossFit 312 in my neighborhood.

It's pretty cool and I can see why people like it so much.

Everyone is super friendly and are incredibly fit. 

However, I am not one of them.

Here's what I wish I looked like doing CrossFit:

...and this is what I know I look like doing CrossFit:
Have a good one, everybody!

Wedding Wednesday!

Two things on the agenda for today's post, both involving wedding attire: Rent the Runway and wedding guest attire etiquette. Read on for more!!!

.......................................................

Andrew and I just put two wedding RSVP cards in the mail! 

It's wedding season! Woooo!!

We are heading to New Orleans for Andrew's cousin's wedding in June, and my cousin's wedding in Pittsburgh in July! 

We're also going to my friend's in May in Chicago...and I'm in Callie's in September in Ohio! 

{We are sad we can't make another friend's in September though :( }

I should think about hotels, gifts, logistics, funds, etc.

Buuuut...

Obviously the first thing on my mind now is: what should I wear?!?

{I feel like such a girly blonde, but oh well.}

I'm thinking this is the year to try Rent the Runway.

I mean, I might as well. I do have 40 total dresses and accessories on my Favorites list. 

A girl's gotta have options, amIright?

I also have a coupon for $50 toward a rental...soooo yeah. I might as well take advantage.

Here are just a few that caught my eye:

What would you pick? 

Have you rented the runway before? Any tips?

I need to check wedding colors with the brides first to ensure that I don't accidentally match the bridesmaids, but these choices are just a start. I'm also worried about wearing red. Is it too loud?

Sure enough, Emily Post knows what's up.

Basically, unless otherwise explicitly permitted, the following attire is considered faux pas by Miss Em:

Let's break it down:

Skimpy and provocative need pictures in my opinion. I know it depends on the ceremony location and local custom, and I'm no hussy, but I need a guide to be sure. 

Colors. Necklines. Length. Details, please.

None of the weddings this year will have a costume theme so we're all set. Phew. 

Blue jeans and t-shirts would be fine if the groomsmen and groom sport the same garb. If they don't wear them, why would you, you know?

Never thought about the jewelry thing. I'll just stick to pearls. They're universally classy, right?

Casual footwear with formal outfits. I don't think this applies to country weddings. 

I see many a Pinterest pic involving cowboy boots and dresses. It's cute, Em. Roll with it.

Em says that sunglasses worn indoors are permissible if there's a medical reason. Otherwise you could look like Cee Lo. So there's that.  

Finally, wearing real flowers. I've never seen people wear them unless they were given by the bride and groom to mothers, grandmothers, etc. I can't imagine this is really an issue. If someone wanted to wear a giant sunflower on her wrist at our wedding, for example, I wouldn't be offended. I'd wonder why, obviously, but no offense taken.

So basically Emily didn't answer my questions.

Is red too loud? Should you stray away from wearing similar colors to bridesmaids? I mean, we all know that wearing white is a HUGE no-no, but what about other off-white hues? 

What do you think? Are there any other faux pas that this list is missing? What would you add? I don't want to do anything inappropriate!!

Also, have any of you found dresses recently that are $50 or less to wear to weddings? I'm striking out.

{OK fine, I've barely shopped yet.}

Goodness. Long post this week. Sorry!

Have a good one!

Weekend Update(s)!

{Linking up with Sami, Leeann, and Meg!}

This was such a fast weekend!

But before I recap this weekend (which will take only a few sentences), I must show some pictures from last weekend in DC. It was so relaxing and amazing. It was just what we wanted: we saw friends, ate amazing food, went to two Nats games, I went for a run around the monuments, and we didn't ride the Metro once!

This pretty much sums it up: Capitol Hill, baseball, friends, and food! 
PS Megan is in a lot of these photos...have you read her blog, Musings and Manolos?  Go check it out!! It's such a fun blog!



Now on for this weekend!

Friday started as all should: at happy hour.

I went with co-workers to our favorite after-work hangout (OK "favorite" is a stretch. It's just the closest.) . Then I met up with Andrew at a new bar for us, The Holiday Grill & Bar. We loved it!
However, he kept beating me at Connect 4. I won one, though!!!
Saturday I went to CrossFit where I had a great workout and met fun people. I really like going to a gym that's walking distance from our place!
That evening we went to 90 Mile for delicious Cuban food with some good friends. I love that it's BYO...and Andrew had a great idea to keep the beer cold. After that we walked over to The Green Eye, one of my new favorite Chicago bars. Too bad we were too stuffed from dinner to stick around longer than the Bulls game, but we definitely want to return!

On Sunday I somehow managed to wake up early and make it to Mass. It's always tough to wake up, but Old St. Pat's is worth it! I seriously love that church!

After that we had delicious breakfast and then I went to meet up with friends for a run along the Lake!

I met them north of the city and we ran along the lake for about 4 miles before they turned back up north and I ran home. All in all it was about 7 miles. That's really really far for me! 

We won't talk about how long it took me. I don't care about that :)

I basically crashed for the rest of the day, but we made delicious fajitas for Cinco de Mayo!

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun for the Derby or Cinco de Mayo??