Registry Adventures

Today my wonderful mother and grandmother took me to look at stuff for mine and Chris registry. They also took me to look at furniture for our new apartment (when we get one haha). It was all so overwhelming but extremely helpful to have both of them with me showing me what was the best brands vs. the worst brands and things I needed and didn't need at all. I found a beautiful couch and loveseat and dining room table and chairs. I took Chris to see them although his reaction was typical of any boy when looking at furniture. I simply wanted him to see the things I was in love with before I made the big decision to purchase them. I didn't want him to see the furniture for the first time on the day we moved in. They also took me to look at things for our registry. Chris and I had went a few weeks ago to look around and I was completely lost. With mom, my grandmother, and my sister, I was able to find alot of things I loved and figure out the best things for the best prices. It was so much fun looking through kitchen appliances with them and even finding myself in the middle of the floor with my sister to look at dinner silverware sets. It was a wonderful day. Without them I would still be lost and would be left crying in the middle of a store surrounded by appliances on the day Chris and I go to register. It is funny how when you get engaged and begin to plan you don't think of all the things you will need in order to live after the wedding occurs. It is so weird to think "I need a pizza cutter in my house." I have always been accustomed to it being within my reach as part of my mom and dad's house, but now I will need my own things for my own house. Due to a extremely wonderful sale we found today my grandmother decided to start me out with a few kitchen appliances. It is definitely weird to own my own toaster over haha.

Tonight my sister and I will be going to see the new movie of the Twilight Saga, Eclipse. Yes we are Twilight fans and we have both read each book...twice. I am excited about the movie but also excited to be able to spent the evening (and early morning) with my amazing sister!

Wedding Dress Alterations Day

Today I had my wedding dress altered!!! My friend, Allison, met us at my house this morning and rode with us to meet my grandmother in Rogersville. Once we got there we were also met by my future mother in law and future sister in law. My mom, me, Allison and my sister, Emily all hopped into my grandmothers car as Connie and Tessa followed behind us. One of my other bridesmaids was to meet us as well but got stuck in traffic in Killen and had to drive straight through to the bridal shop. Once we got there we were so excited to see my flower girl, Anna Kate (my cousin), as well her her mother, aunt and grandmother! I was so happy they all came to share in this special day with me as well Anna Kate's excitement! When we got in I send Emily and Allison to look at shoes. I have been to every shoe store in Florence and almost Huntsville and could not find a white, fancy shoe to wear on my wedding day! Of course, Alli and Emma came through for me and found the most gorgeous shoe in the whole store! Next we moved on to look at flower girl dresses. I knew of a dress I liked from when I first went to David's to look at dresses. I immediately when to it and found out that Anna Kata's aunt (my cousin) had picked that one out as her favorite as well. Anna Kata couldn't wait to get into the dress. Her mom and I talked about the sizes because at her age it is highly possible that she will grow before our wedding in January. We made sure the dress went up a few extra sizes just in case and luckily it did! Tessa came out in her bridesmaid dress first. I was really worried that she would have to wear a junior bridesmaid style of the dress instead of the same one as everyone else due to her being so much younger than everyone else. Lucky for me the dress I picked out for the bridesmaids ran small and Tessa was not only able to fit into the dress but needed a size above what I had originally planned. Then out came Anna Kate. This was when I about lost it today. Her dress is white, has a full beautiful bottom and looks almost identical to my dress. She was too adorable! She twirled around in it and stood on the stage admiring herself in the big mirrors. I wanted a sash to go around her dress in the color of bridesmaid dresses so we spent some time figuring out what type of sash looked right with the dress. She didn't even want to take it off. Next was Morgan, then Allison and Emma decided to re-try on their dresses to be sure about the size and fit. We spent several minutes taking pictures with each other and talking about the style of the dresses. Next it was my turn. I could not wait to see my dress! The anticipation was killing me. They took me back to the alterations room where my sister and I got to see my dress together for the first time. It was really strange because this was MY dress. Not a dress on a hanger on the sales floor used as a sample, this was MINE. The dress I am going to walk down the aisle in and marry the man of my dreams. My sister helped me into the dress and then Allison brought me my new shoes to put on. Alli and Emma each grabbed a foot and shoved them onto me. Just like true bridesmaids, they flared out my train and prepared me to look beautiful for everyone to see. I was so nervous before everyone came in to see my dress. "What were they going to think?" My mom was the first to walk in, and even though she has seen my dress before and looked at pictures of it a million times, she immediately burst into tears. It was such an amazing feeling to have everyone telling me how beautiful the dress looked and how it looked like it was made just for me. As I stood there I asked Chris' mom if this made it feel more real for her to see me standing here in my wedding dress. Then she immediately started crying, no matter she might have told Chris haha. Chris is completely unaware of what my dress looks like and will be unaware until the day of the wedding. He will not even see a picture. He has no idea about any of the details of the dress at all. All it knows is it is big, which was one thing he told me not to get before I left the day I went looking. I just hope he says how gorgeous I look instead of how big the dress is when he sees me haha. According to his mother he won't even be looking how the size, yet how beautiful I look in the dress. I didn't have to have alot done to the dress except I know my wonderful bridesmaid are going to kill me with all the bustling they will have to help put together after the ceremony :) Sorry girls but I love you! My grandmother did not cry one time, until we went to finish paying the last bit of my dress for the alterations. I could not be doing this wedding with out my mother, grandmother, sister and bridesmaids. My mom is the most amazing woman and is truly excited for my wedding. My sister has been my back bone every since we got engaged. All I have to do is ask and she jumps right in to help. I definitely would not make it through this wedding without her as my maid of honor. Today was an exciting and emotional day. It made me realize this is actually happening, in 6 months I will be marrying Chris in this dress. I am so happy and can not wait to be Mrs. Hughes!

Our Crazy Wedding Plans So Far

From the time we engaged it has been nonstop planning. Before school was out for the summer I had met with every photographer in Killen, Florence, and Rogersville, booked a florist, caterer, photographer and videographer and found a wedding dress all by the end of March (a month and a half after we got engaged.) With my hectic school and work schedule the wedding planning was put on halt until the summer but thankfully I had put a huge dent in the planning process. Since school has let our we are in full wedding mode. We are trying to get the majority of things done before I begin student teaching in the fall. I recently have order my cake and Chris cake from a girl in our area who has done many cakes for friends and family members. We are continuing to look for favors, chairs, tables, and a sand ceremony kit. We also are busy looking through endless amounts of pictures of Chris and I growing up as well as beginning to get addresses for invitations. The major disagreement we have is our song list. We have extremely different tastes in music. However, we are managing to agree and are beginning to see a song list form slowly but surely. Tomorrow we will making another trip to David's Bridal to finish having my bridesmaids fitted for their dresses as well as having my wedding dress altered. My flower girl is also coming with us. I am so excited to get her into the dresses and be there with us. I know she is going to have a blast! I also am looking forward to seeing my wedding dress for the first time in three months! I feel like it has been forever! It should be an eventful day with 4 of my 8 bridesmaids, my mother, grandmother, future mother in law, flower girl and her mother all coming with us. Even though the planning is extremely stressful it is a great feeling to be with the majority of my wedding party trying on dresses and looking at my wedding dress. I can not wait!

Today was also the 27th wedding anniversary of my mommy and daddy! I just want to wish them a happy anniversary! I am so lucky to have such amazing parents who love and care about me the way they do me and my sister. I bet they never imagined 27 years ago they would be in the midst of planning their oldest daughters wedding. Thanks for all you guys are doing for me and Chris to make our day so special. I love you both and I couldn't ask for better parents!!

Us

Well since this is my first blog I thought I would introduce myself and my fiance. Chris and i will have been dating for 7 years on August 4th of this year. Chris remembers meeting me at the schools youth softball field while I was talking with a group of my friends during my sisters softball game. I remember meeting Chris through school and through talking online. It was the summer before my 10th grade year and Chris' 8th grade year. To me, Chris was a baby, not dating material. We talked online nearly every night, mainly about things going on in our lives. The more we talked the more we got into playful flirting, but still in my mind Chris was too young for me to date. Closer for time for school to start a girl I cheered with invited me over to spend the night. Another girl I cheered with was having a swimming party at her house and invited us over. Both girls were in Chris' grade so when I showed up to the party I immediately noticed Chris. Chris and I spent the rest of the night talking and flirting. Once we got back home, my friend asked me if I liked Chris. I said I thought he was cute but there was no way I could date him because of the age difference. She informed me that age didnt matter and that we looked too cute and happy together not to give it a try. To this day we both say that she is the reason we are together and we are eternally grateful to Rachel Mactolff for helping us to find each other. Of course the first year was tough, tougher for me than Chris. I was teased about dating a younger boy and basically being a cradle robber or his mother. Once people discovered that Chris wasn't going anywhere we had no more problems. One Valentine's Day of this year Chris and I got engaged. He took me back to the youth softball field, where he has a blanket with pink rose petals. He had made me close my eyes therefore I had no idea where I was. He began to say all these absolutely amazing things to me then told me to open my eyes. When I did he was on his knee with the ring box open and asked "Will you marry me?" Due to still being in school we were unable to plan as much as we liked. Now that summer is here we are in full wedding mode and trying to get as much done as possible before I start student teaching at the end of August. Wedding planning is stressful but alot of fun at the same time. I decided to start blogging to help me keep track of our planning process as well as help friends and family members keep track of us as we go through this amazing time together.