It’s been awhile since I’ve updated. It’s been a crazy few weeks.

I changed jobs which has been taking up most of my time for the last month. Add a 40 minute commute each way, a fast paced position, and challenging project work- and I’m just about tapped out come 9 o’clock. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I feel great at this new position back in my element of Interactive Project Management at one of the top ad agencies in Columbus. The constant grind has also greatly helped to keep my mind off of the grief I’m still coping with after losing our Daisy. It’s true that every day gets a little easier and I feel like I’ve made some progress. For example, I don’t cry daily anymore- I’ve managed to keep the mind numbing, body rocking sobs to maybe once per week. See…? Progress.

Bachelorette party #1 was a wild success. I had one of the greatest nights ever. My friends truly went all out. Complete with an amazing hotel room at the Downtown Columbus Hyatt- decorated to the hilt with bachelorette goodies- both dirty and not. I drank a lot of booze and yet somehow managed to stay completely conscious the whole night. I was exceedingly proud of myself. All in all it was a completely perfect night.

Here’s a few pics of the evening…

The fabulous decor at the hotel room (minus the dirty balloons on the walls)

A couple shots at Level Dining Lounge

The Pumps Drag Show Cabaret at AXIS

So I’m slowly starting my return to life after the horrible events that transpired at my bridal shower. It’s been a difficult 5 weeks and I don’t imagine the pain to go away for quite some time, but Chris and I have developed a new daily routine which is definitely helping us cope. We’re giving lots of love and attention to our remaining pets- Moose the labradoodle and George the cat, spending a lot of time talking about what we’ve been through, and finding ways to honor our Daisy while also moving forward and healing.

And this weekend I’m finally getting excited about something- bachelorette party #1. My friends are working their hardest to pull together a bash of epic proportions and doing everything they can to lift my spirits. Thus far- mission accomplished and the party hasn’t even begun. I’m stoked because the night starts with dinner at one of my favorite places in Columbus, Martini’s, followed by drinks at random bars around the Short North, and ending the night with the amazing PUMPS Cabaret Drag Show at Axis, and a hotel room downtown. All in all- the perfect evening spent with some of the most incredibly ladies I’m so grateful and blessed to call my friends. To prepare, I bought a killer dress to accentuate my 12 lb. weight loss, I found some amazing accessories and shoes, and have planned out my hair and makeup for the night. Here’s the dress-

I’ll try to post a respectable photo of all of us (if there even IS one at the end of the night) sometime next week after I recover.

It’s gonna be a helluva night. And if you’re a fellow Columbus-ite in the Short North on Saturday- I apologize ahead of time. But for once, I feel that I’ve earned this privilege to stumble from bar to bar and celebrate that I’m going to be married to the most incredible person I’ve ever known. For all the shit I’ve gone through lately, I’m still unbelievably grateful for that.

This weekend is my bridal shower. Well actually there’s 2. We had so many people want to celebrate that we had to have 2 separate showers! It’s gonna be a crazy weekend. My bridesmaids are all going to be there- which is the first time they all get to meet one another. I’m so excited to see all of them. I’m so grateful to have the most wonderful friends. Marissa, Miranda, Julie and Angela- thank you so much for being there for me through it all. Sometimes, when I get stressed out, I lose sight of how lucky I am to have all these wonderful people in my life.

The first shower will be on Saturday, held at my mother’s house and hosted by my sister and Matron of Honor, Julie. It’s a “The Big Apple” theme. My only request was apple martinis! Tasty. The second shower is being held at a winery in Niagara, hosted by my future Mother and Sister in Laws. We will be doing a wine tasting!

We will also be having our engagement photos done this weekend. I can’t wait to meet our photographer, finally! I feel like we know each other already from the past year of talking on Facebook and helping her with some SEO on her blog.

I can’t wait to come back and post some pictures! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

No, I’m not talking about the political affiliation. I’m talking about being smart and environmentally friendly while you get showered with love (and presents!) during the many wedding celebrations in your name! Whether it’s your bridal shower, bachelorette, or wedding a great thing to do is go green wherever you can. With all the tragedy happening with the environment and around the world lately, simple things can make a big difference.

Going green is huge trend right now and there are many great fun ways to incorporate being green into any party.

My favorite green idea is the “No Wrap” party. This is where you politely ask your guests to skip the gift wrap and “congratulations” cards. Instead your guests can bring their gift with a small gift tag on it or you can supply small post-its for guests to write their names on. You can then display your fabulous new housewares for the entirety of the shower and let people check out your new loot as they wish. This also allows you to spend much more quality time with your guests, talking with them and having fun as opposed to unwrapping tons of gifts and oooing and awwwing over every cup or piece of silverware. Another way to showcase your gifts without gift wrap, is to have your guests present their gift while also sharing their favorite memory or story about the bride. It’s a nice way for your guests to get to know one another and also help the bride feel special with her closest friends and family telling their sweet, personal memories.

Macy’s registry even offers a “Go Green- no gift wrap” option where it actually tells your guests that you requested no gift wrap. Genius!

Another easy way to go green at your parties is to use real plates and silverware. No paper or plastic. This is the same for table linens and napkins. Use cloth whenever possible. Yes, you’ll have dishes and laundry at the end of the day, but this is a very simple way to help reduce a lot of unnecessary garbage. An added bonus to using the good plates and linens- your party’s aesthetic will be more luxurious and elegant.

Try using e-vites (email invitations) or use invitations printed on recycled paper. The same goes for your thank you cards. My personal favorite green thank you, is to take a picture of yourself and/or your fiance using your gift and then emailing it the guest who gave it to you with your thank you message. It’s a creative, thoughtful way to go above and beyond to say thank you, while saving money on postage and stationary AND being green! Love it!

If you’re using a caterer or having your party at a restaurant, try finding one that gets their supplies from local farms using seasonal ingredients. If you’re home cooking- try hitting up the local farmer’s market for your food. It’s a great place to find favors as well!

For favors that are relatively inexpensive as well as green, try herbs, flower bulbs, seeds, or donations to help reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding. All great ways to thank your guests for their attendance.

An informed, environmentally conscious bride is a chic and fabulous bride! For more info for us tree hugging, granola eating, hippie brides- check out GreenBrideGuide.com! (No dreadlocks or hemp required!)

Photo Courtesy of Elisha Orin Photography and one of the most gorgeous green weddings I’ve ever seen.

So I came across this photo while practicing my favorite method of procrastination, reading PerezHilton.com.

Now, I know I don’t exactly have the same skin tone as the gorgeous Zoe Saldana, but her make-up in this photo is flawless. Her skin is glowing, her eyes are piercing, and the subtle pink lipstick and blush balance out the sexy smoky eye perfectly. STUNNING.

I’m thinking it’s the perfect look that I’m going for and I’m employing Josselyn at Bhivebridal.com to get it done for me! I’m so excited I found her. She’s a fabulous make-up artist in Buffalo who’s portfolio is totally impressive. I trust her to make me look and feel absolutely gorgeous- exactly the way you should feel on your wedding day.

I’m hoping to do a trial run with her on the day of my engagement photos in 3 weeks. I’m thinking I’ll be taking this photo along for inspiration.