THE dress!

Once we finalized the place, I needed to find a dress!  The first time we looked I was a little discouraged as I found NOTHING that I liked at all.  The second full day of wedding dress shopping proved to be much more successful!  We had a long day with 4 different appointments...White on Daniel Island, Modern Trousseau, Lula Kate, and I can't even remember the other one now...must not have been that great. :)  I found two at White that I loved...but one of them was just "me"!  My mom also found a gorgeous dress at White that looks fabulous on her!  Such a fun day!  I can't wait for my dress to come in so that I can try it on again. 

And in other more recent exciting news...I got my wedding shoes this past weekend.  I will share them since a) I'm obsessed with them and b) Jimmy helped pick them out so no secret to be kept!

How fun are they!!??  Now the only problem is not wearing them until July 20th!

 

Wedding Venue

We decided to get married in the mountains for several reasons.  I have always wanted to have a destination wedding of some sort, but I also wanted it to be a place that was special to us and not just a random place we have never visited.  I have grown up going to the Boone area, as well as my dad, grandparents, and great-grandparents.  I loved how my sister Kris put it one time when talking about Blowing Rock and the park there...she said it was so special to her since all of our family has grown up in different places that this is the one playground our dad, uncle, all of us, and now her children will have grown up playing on.  Jimmy and I have made many trips to the area and are excited to have our wedding here!  We struggled finding a venue for the wedding at first, because I had originally wanted to get married at Banner Elk Winery and had intentions of booking them when I had my first appointment with them.  Oh how happy I am that we didn't!  Thank goodness the lady we met with was very unorganized and didn't make me feel very comfortable about having the wedding there.  So, long story short we decided to look at some different venues which really stressed me out!  Luckily, just like my sister Brooke told me, whenever we saw Eseeola we didn't even have to speak a word...we all knew it was the perfect spot!

Holiday Fun

My Mom got in town last Wednesday and we have been busy having fun ever since.  Thursday we went to dinner at Smoky Oak Taproom on James Island and then took Hudson to see the James Island County Park lights and to meet Santa for the first time!  We love Smoky Oak...I had a pizza called the Pig and Goat...bacon and goat cheese!  My Mom had bbq with green beans and macaroni and cheese.  She said it was so good that she actually took the leftovers and ate them the next day...literally the first time I have ever seen her eat leftovers ha!  Hudson did SO good meeting Santa...he smiled so big and looked SO cute.  So cute that the photographer asked my sister to sign something saying they could use his photo for his advertisements!  I don't have copies of the pictures that the photographer took of just Hud, but I had to jump in one with him and my mom took this one.

Nan Jan and Hud Bug

All bundled up!

I'm not sure why I am smiling so weird, but it was our only pic that we took of all of us Saturday.  Everyone came over and we celebrated Christmas by opening presents and cooking a big meal together.  It was a really fun day!

Hudson opening presents for the first time!

We just can't get enough of this cutie...he is almost always smiling!

Today I went to my friend Erin's Annual Christmas Cookie Swap.  It is always so fun and you leave with a plate full of goodies.

Brooke, Me, Stephanie, Erin

My melting snowman cookies...although I can't exactly claim them.  I had an engagement shower for some of our friends Saturday night and after we finished celebrating Christmas I ran out of time to make them before I had to leave for the party.  My mom very generously said she would make them for me...my sisters helped too.  THANKS again!  And thanks to pinterest for the idea.  It is always sad to see my Mom and sister Brienne leave town after a fun weekend together...but hopefully it won't be long before we are all together again.  Now, I'm off to watch Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation.  I bought it at Costco today and it is one of my favorites! :)

Engagement Party

Several months ago my mom and sister and Jimmy's mom and sister threw an engagement party for Jimmy and I!  It was before I started the blog, but it was such a cute party and I wanted to document it here so that I would always be able to look back on it.  It was a travel themed party that had a station for some of the different places Jimmy and I have traveled together...such a great idea and so fun!

The precious invitations...I loved them!

Jimmy and I out front with the sign of all of the destinations.  When people arrived there was a game where there were pictures of us in each location and they had to guess where we were...the person with the most correct guesses won a prize!  How cute!

Bermuda!

The Chocolate Cake Lady cupcakes...if you live in Charleston you must try her chocolate cake!!!

Sushi and Chicken Skewers at the Vegas "buffet"!

Poker in Vegas!  They also had a roulette table...my favorite!

San Fran/Napa!

Napa again...

New Orleans!

NYC!

San Diego!

Blowing Rock!

Jimmy and I with our sweet hostesses!

Again...

Just the 2 of us!

Jimmy and I with two of my sisters!

They had a map of North Carolina (where we are getting married) for everyone to sign as a guestbook.

Jimmy and I with my Uncle Rick and Aunt Pat who made the trip from Alabama!

My sisters with our Mom.

Spain!  Sangria!

My Parents!

Some of my besties!

Some more of my besties!

Late night...Trouble!

 

It was such a fun party and we are so appreciative of all of the hard work everyone put into it to make it a special night for us!

 

Irmo Weekend

This past weekend we traveled to Columbia to spend a weekend with family.  We had a lot of family come in town from Texas, Alabama, and Florida.  It was such a fun weekend and we enjoyed a lot of good food, cold beverages, shopping, and spent both nights talking around the outside fireplace until the wee hours of the morning.  Hudson was definitely the star of the weekend as it was our sister Kris' and her kids first time meeting him!  And check out all of my Dad and Stepmother's Christmas trees!!!  They are gorgeous!

Dining Room Tree

Entry

Entry again.

Living Room/Kitchen

Living Room/Kitchen again.

My precious nieces from Texas and Hudson.

Cuteness Overload. 

YUM!!!  We had ham, turkey, stuffing, mac and cheese, sweet potato casserole (made by yours truly), bacon wrapped green beans, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, and rolls.  I wish I had a big plate full of leftovers right now!!!

Bedroom Christmas tree in my dad and stepmother's room. 

Tree in my little sister Payton's room...love the pink lights!

Basement Christmas tree...the only real tree in the house.

My dad, Hudson, and Princess.  Princess is so funny around Hudson...she is so jealous and just wants to lick him from head to toe.  Hudson is hilarious with him as well.

Two of my little loves.

Hudson and Mommy

The whole fam...what a great weekend!

Sweet family of 3!

All of the "kids"!

And last but not least, the Goose Creek Gator tree in the basement!

 

I am excited for another weekend spent with family coming up.  My Mom will be in town this weekend and we have plans to cook another big meal, celebrate Christmas, and love on our sweet Hudson some more!