This is not the newest idea but I still love using magnets as Save the Dates! In fact we just ordered our Save the Dates from MagnetStreet.com. I particularly love the style we chose because it’s fun to showcase a few photos from all the years we’ve been together as well as provide something slightly useful as opposed to a piece of paper. Magnetstreet’s design tools were very easy to use and their customer service support has been great, especially considering that I had special requests for their designers. I can’t wait to see them in person when they hit my doorstep in a week or so!

This particular design is offered for $1.49 a piece when you order 100 pieces. Price varies if you want more or less. I also snagged a coupon code after some Googling and got an additional 10% off. Major win.

What do you think??

So we got our cake!!! I’m so happy. I originally saw this design on an episode of Cake Boss where buddy was designing it for a Brides Magazine photo shoot. I saw the photo in the magazine and immediately ripped it out to add to my “inspiration” photo pile. I didn’t think there was any remotely possible way to get this cake knowing that the detail work would be incredibly time intensive and therefore expensive. (According to the magazine photo, the cake is about $15 per slice.)

But thanks to the AMAZING bakery, Muscoreil’s, here in Buffalo and the wonderful owner Dave, we have worked out a version of this cake that can be mine all mine AND still stay in the budget!!!

Our cake will be a square, 4-tiered version of this cake with no flowers. (In your head remove the bottom and top layer from the picture and that is what our cake will look like.) We wanted to keep it simple yet striking and stay with our classic black and white theme. The delicate black piping is almost lace-like which fits in with the lace textures we are working into the design of our wedding. We picked buttercream icing and chose 2 cake flavors in alternating tiers- white almond cake with raspberry filling and chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and raspberry filling. And Muscoreil’s doesn’t just make gorgeous cakes… they make gorgeous cakes that taste just as delicious as they look.

I just had to share this photo because the cake is unbelievable. I couldn’t be happier!!!

But- just a heads up who share my black and white vision- the bakery told us to make sure you don’t have too much black on your cake because there’s so much dye in the black icing, it can turn yours and your guests’ mouths black!

So if you know me at all or follow me on twitter, you’re probably aware that I have been laid off for the better part of a year. I was let go from my job last year during this lovely economy and struggled to find something new. Finally I have landed a new gig that promises to be challenging, fun, creative, and incredibly rewarding. I am the new Web Content Producer at ThisWeek Community Media. I’m on my second week and already my head is spinning with possibilities and new information! I love what I’m learning and all the people I work with. This job is exactly what I needed and have been hoping for. I’m so excited to do the things I love everyday as a career.

I also just turned 25 on February 3rd. I’ve heard turning 25 scares a lot of people but this was a birthday I was ready to embrace. It was a quiet and contemplative day and I tried to reflect on what I learned in the last year. This has been a year of exciting events as well as complicated challenges. But overall it was a year of growth in all areas of my life and I am extremely grateful for it. I have wonderful people in my life and overall I am the happiest I’ve ever been. My mind has been opened to possibilities and opportunities that I never thought possible both personally and professionally. I’ve made some great new friends and have been overwhelmed by the community support and encouragement I’ve received from people I’ve never even met. (Twitter rocks!) I’ve gotten rid of some toxic friends and improved my other relationships with those amazing, one of a kind type friends. (Marissa and Miranda- I’m talking about you!) I also feel that my relationship with my sister has grown stronger over the last year and I’m so lucky to have her there for me. But most of all I’m so excited to marry my best friend and love of my life. Chris impresses, amazes, and infatuates me every day and I truly can’t believe I will get to spend the rest of my life with him.

Not to mention that having this new job also makes wedding planning a little easier considering I will actually be able to contribute to our budget. I feel strongly that all couples should contribute something to their wedding budget and I was worried that I might not have been able to. Planning a wedding is really stressful and this new job actually takes some of that stress off of me. (Yeah- a job that takes stress away- how cool is that?)

I wanted to take a little time as well to thank you. I have a wonderful loyal readership and the people who send me emails and ask questions and tweet me are some of the most genuine, awesome people I’ve meet over the last year. Especially you Columbus peeps and the people who helped encourage me to never give up over this tough year. I have found support in people I’ve never met (and some I have briefly) and yet you have been so kind and helpful to me. When I announced I’d finally landed this new job, the flood of congratulations and well wishes I received was overwhelming. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

Seriously- thank you.

I found some incredible wedding invitations at WeddingPaperDivas.com a few months ago and I check back every so often to see if they add anything I might like even better. Well after checking out the site today I found they are having a site wide sale until the 16th of February! $15 off a $99 purchase, $30 off a $199 purchase, and $50 off a $299 purchase. The code to do this is FEBSALE. You can also get free shipping on your order with the code FREESHIP. You can also combine those two and get both offers which is awesome.

WeddingPaperDivas not only does wedding invitations but shower invitations, save the dates, anniversary, birthday, and any other kind of party invitation you could think of. They have beautiful modern, traditional, formal, casual and everything in between for any kind of stationary you need. And they are incredibly reasonable for brides on a budget. (I found everything I need for under $300 which included invitations, envelopes with liners, reply cards with return envelopes, and place cards for the reception!)

Here are some examples which all have different color options as well:

Go check it out and save some money!

I’m happy to say that my dress has finally come in. Well, I should say it finally came in for the second time. This wait was much worse than the first considering the disaster that unfolded the first time around- Manufacturing problems all over the place and so small I could barely zip it up. A serious blow to my self esteem. Anyway, the dress was shipped to my house and I sat and stared at the box for about an hour, scared to open it. Too much was riding on this dress. Will everything be fixed? Or was I going to have to go out hunting again for the perfect dress that I thought I already found? Ugh.
So I got up the courage to open the box. At first glance things looked ok. Certainly much better than before. Next step… put the dress on. Slowly step in. Zip up… pause. It fits. Holy crap it fits! (Pretty sure there was a chorus of angels singing in the background at this point.) I walked over to my mirror and started to scrutinize. Everything was better. I no longer looked like 10 lbs. of potatoes in a 5 lb. sack. I actually looked good. In fact, I looked damn good! The color and fabric is perfect. Definitely still need alterations like most wedding dresses, but it fits exactly the way a wedding dress should fit when you first put it on.
I’m so happy. I’m thrilled because this is absolutely, 100% my dress. I got those feelings again. Those feelings that make me so excited and anxious to walk down the aisle towards Chris in this dress. He’s going to love this dress. I’m going to feel beautiful wearing this dress. I’m marrying the love of my life in this dress.