Ideas for Details

As you all know if you've been reading this, I love DETAILS! I love them! They add so much to the overal personality of the wedding and I'm so excited we've slowly been able to start on them. We just received some stencils we ordered for our signs we want to make. Joe is really excited about these! Remember?

Just need to find some weathered wood. And I've been thinking more about the gift table, especially for the cards. I instantly fell in love with this idea before...

which still may very well be a contender. But lately, I've been feeling a little more vintage. I'm looking for the "old stuff". Check out these ideas I've found...



Old suitcase with the cute CARDS sign




Love this!



Or even an old drawer!

Grandparents, we may be coming to search your treasures! 



Guest Book = Check!

This past weekend I decided to start tackling the guest book. We knew we wanted something else besides the normal book with lines for signatures and after throwing out the idea of making a scrapbook myself we decided on this - a photo guest book! I have started to see many of these take place of the traditional guest book and I love the idea of adding a bit of a personal touch to it, as well as leaving room for your guests to write their own words of wisdom to the newlyweds.

There are many websites out there to help you get started such as Shutterfly but after searching around I found Picaboo. I loved the look of these books and their prices are pretty reasonable to Shutterfly. So after spending a few hours picking the right pictures and looking through it over again and again to make sure it was perfect we sent our order in! The next morning as I was sending the link to my Mom I came to the heart sinking realization that the date said 2010 and NOT 2011!! I quickly called to see if we could get this changed but unfortunately it was already in production. Ugh. If it's not fixable, thankfully Picaboo offered us 50% to make our changes and order a new book.

I'm sure this will not be the only mishap that will happen in planning for the day so we'll just have to break out a laugh or two when we cross these kind of moments :)

Second time's a charm...

So last night I went back to the bridal shop with my good friend Kelly. It was great to have a new set of eyes looking through those dresses again. And this time the place was a lot more relaxed and inviting. As we were waiting, we were able to look at what I thought were the "expensive dresses" since there was a big sign saying Kleinfield Collection. Little did we know that it was actually where they put all their sample sale dresses!!! I couldn't believe it! They were cheap AND I may have found "the dress" in the sale rack! (It's basically were the style and simplicity of dresses I was looking for was kept.)

I kept going back and forth between the two I found on Friday and the one I found that night. To be honest, I could go with all three and being a person who can't make decisions, I still couldn't make up my mind. I do have one more appointment for Saturday but if I can't find one that is better...my dress search may finally be over. Thank goodness!!

Update on the dress search....

Well Friday was the big dress hunting day. My sister Sadie, Mom, and Grandma came down to help me in the search and I soon realized that MEA weekend is NOT the weekend to go dress shopping. My first appointment was at 10:30 when the shop opened but the placed was already packed with a ton of brides and their entourages doing the same thing I came to do. To be honest, it was overwhelming, a tad stressful and very exhausting. There are two dresses I have my eye on and tonight I'm heading back with my good friend, Kelly to get her opinion and maybe sift through everything one more time. Hopefully there will be a lot less people!

After we grabbed lunched and regrouped we headed to the second place. It was such a different atmosphere and a lot more calming. I wish I could say I found my dress there but I came out empty handed. The lady at the shop however did recommend me to another bridal shop so I'm headed there on Saturday. Oh - the never ending search!

I keep thinking I'm suppose to have this "this is THE ONE" moment and so far I'm coming up short. I've found dresses that I really like...but am I suppose to feel more? I just want a simple dress and about 85-90% of the dresses have too much beading/bedazzle and are all ruched (definition: A ruffle or pleat of lace, muslin, or other fine fabric used for trimming women's garments.) Yep...not a fan! Don't get me wrong, the dresses are very pretty but I'm just not that kind of girl. I didn't think I'd be so picky! Who would have thought trying to find a simple dress would be this hard?! It's a little frustrating but know I will find my dress. (Feels good to vent a little:)

Sadie, my Mom, and Grandma were awesome to have around. I'm glad I was able to experience it with them. It meant a lot to have them there. Thanks ladies:)

Tomorrow...

I'm looking for the whitest dress I will ever wear. I'm going wedding dress shopping!!!

Will it be this one?



Or something like this?



Maybe this one?



Who knows but I'm really excited:) I'll let you know if I find "the one"!!

can i have this too?!

I know it's not necessary. No one would even know you had it unless they were helping you get ready. Or saw a picture of it that the photographer took. But I really want one of these. This is why I love the little "details" of weddings....



Of course mine would say mrs. shelerud:)



Things are starting to accumulate...

This past weekend I was home again for Kristy's (soon-to-be) cousin for her baby shower. Her and her husband Bryn are expecting a little girl this December, Sadie Joy! How cute:)

But before Sunday came, my Mom and I ran some pre-wedding errands. We went up to Sam's Club and got the rest of the silverware we needed plus checked out the mini cheesecakes! Yum:) Then we went over to Target and picked up two dozen glasses. Still need 32 but we're getting there! Later that night my Mom and I played around with some mason jars figuring how we'd put them on the tables and how many more we'll need. And then yesterday I made hair appointments for the wedding day! Things are slowly coming together!!

Still thinking of Plan B for the water pitchers on the tables...any suggestions?



Oh for Fun!

Before Monday gets rolling I thought I'd share with you something I have been working on. I still need to add things as we approach the big day but for now it's a good start.

Everyone, meet our wedding website!

http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/SarahMicke&JoeShelerud

I'll add more details as we figure things out but take a look around!

PS. Joe and I were grocery shopping at Target last night and I found GLASS MILK JUGS! They were so pretty, so fun...and then I came to the bitter realization that the opening on those things will make putting ice in them a nightmare. Ugh. Moving on to plan B - whatever that is....

feeling sappy...

I'm a sucker for wedding videos.

There are so many talented videographers out there who create these gorgeous videos of the wedding day - and every moment of it.

I watched this one today and when the groom first saw his bride, oh! a tear! Yes, I shed a tear:) I couldn't help but imagine what that moment is going to be like for Joe and I. The moment when we first see each other and know that what we're doing that day is where we are suppose to be. Together. With each other from that day forward.

I can't wait!

P.S. I've been working on something special...
 Check back Monday!

Well...seven months ago this whole wedding planning thing started! That's right. I remember dates of important events, non-important events and everything in between. Seven months ago Joe proposed to me and what a lovely, life changing day that was:) And here we are...in the midst of all wedding chaos that is good!!!

Yesterday I found a potential salon to get our hair done at which a friend of mine recommended and it's near by the hotels. And I also made our reservation at the hotel for our wedding night! Here we come fireplace/jacuzzi suite! Also, with a king size bed that I will be able to crash in after a long night of dancing!

Things are starting to come together:)

Remember...

The days of getting your milk delivered to your house?! Well, let me rephrase that. I don't either because that never happened with my family but I love those old glass milk jugs.

And I was thinking the other day. How great would it be to use these as our water pitchers for the tables! So simply and beautiful. (Am I taking this "barn" theme too far?! :) Anyway, it's my new project but so far, I've had little luck. I need a TON of them, like 72, and they are hard to find and when you do...expensive. If only I had a milk man....

It's about time...

As my lovely Grandmother pointed out to me yesterday when I was back home for the weekend, I've been slacking a bit too much on the 'ol blog. Sorry Mic! I'll try and do better:)

I was back home for my sister Sadie's (the MOH) confirmation and she picked me to stand up there with her as her sponsor. How sweet:)



We didn't plan on matching:)



Although her confirmation was the main reason for going home, I did do a few other "wedding related" things. On Saturday morning my mom and I went to the wine place to "rack" our wine. Basically we took it out of the bucket we started it in and transferred it into a huge glass jug and added a few more ingredients to it. Like for example, less sulfate - a preservative that causes the "headaches" you get in the morning from enjoying your wine too much. I'm sure some people will be able to test this theory out at our wedding. It was actually a long process but in November we can start bottling our first batch! And to make it even more exciting they had these beautiful blue bottles that they are going to set aside for us to use which will go great with the navy/yellow colors!

The second thing I was able to do was try on my first few very white dresses! We didn't set up an appointment and it was more on the fly decision but Sadie wanted to show me her Snoball dress at the shop and they happened to have wedding dresses there as well. I didn't find my dream dress just yet, but have an idea of what I like and don't like. Narrowing it down! I do have a picture of it...but shouldn't put it up - just in case:)

Big News!

Yesterday Joe and I met with our possibly caterer for a food tasting and... (drumroll please) We have our CATERER! And it feels so great to have another "big item" crossed off our list! What are we having you ask? Well, we're doing something a little different and a lot of fun... we're having a Pig Roast! Joe brought up the idea a while back and we have decided to do it! Plus, we're getting the food for over 300 people at half the cost we were planning on (extra bonus!). I am getting so excited for the big day!! And now we have food to go with it:)

After our appointment with the caterer we headed out to the town where the hotels for our guests are. The two places are just down the road from each other and the town is so cute! Joe and I are planning on going on a date in the town to scope it out a bit more. Next we headed to the barn which is about 20 minutes from the hotels. We realized again how much we love that barn!

Isn't it perfect?! We walked around more outside and then met with a gentleman to take a peak inside again. We were able to ask a ton of questions and he gave us some helpful pointers as well to help start planning the details of our decorating! We took around the farm and headed to the lake that it's on just enjoyed the lovely fall day. 



Sheep right next to the Volleyball net!

  

View where the ceremony will take place



Met this cow on our way to the lake



On the dock looking up at the barn




Soon to be Bride & Groom :) with windy hair ha!



Ah the memories....

The beginning of October brings back a lot of memories for me. It was 2 years ago this weekend that I first saw Joe again since the days of high school at our friends Melissa, Makenzie & Anna's Birthday Party. He came out to celebrate with a group of us and I'm so glad he did! As I said before, I really didn't take "interest" in him that night but soon after it all began:) I can't believe its already been 2 years and now we're planning our wedding!

Speaking of wedding planning, Joe and I took Monday off to have our taste testing with the caterer! I hope it tastes good:) If our taste buds like what they see we are booking the caterer! Then after we are driving out to the Barn to take more pictures of the inside/outside so we can start thinking of lighting, decor, and more fun stuff! I'm excited to see our place again! And to have a long weekend:)

Another big cost we were able to trim down a lot was for our dinnerware. At the Barn we can either use compostable plates/silverware/cups (which are not very pretty) or china and the caterer charges $5 per setting! With the number of guests we are planning on having we figured it would cost us around $1600 just to have people eat off a real plate! This past August when Joe's cousing Kallie got married, they actually bought all their place settings and Jenna  bought them from her since they're having their reception at the same place. So... bada bing bada boom we're sharing the dinnerware with them, along with having to buy a handful more place settings to reach our guest total and it's only going to cost us around $400! Thank you Jesus!

I'll let you know how Monday goes!