release the doves

This past weekend, I coordinated a lovely wedding off of St. Pete Beach. If you have been 'round this blog for any amount of time, you know at some point I hope to be able to professionally plan, coordinate and be a part of event planning full time. Until that time comes, I'll settle for saying yes to anyone who asks me!

Sunday, I was fortunate enough to be a part of and help to coordinate a wedding for a friend of a friend. I was able to gain more experience, a little spending money and a new friend in the process. Beckie, thank you so much for asking my assistance on your big day! You were a beautiful bride and I had such a great time helping you and meeting your family, and of course your husband (!!).

Groom's Cake.

Newlyweds!

two bridesmaids and yours truly at the end of the evening.

...sadly, the normal j.o.b. was back on today, and Oskar could clearly relate to my tiredness, no?

word.

XOXO,

Nichole

Life...Updated (Random Ramblings)

Happy Monday, kids! I've been surprisingly busy for a girl who is unemployed! Though I guess I now DO have a part time job so I'm not a complete hobo, anymore!

Thanks to the lovely Emilee, I was hired to help set up weddings at the venue where J and I were married. Obviously, its only when there are  weddings (Fri-Sun), but its experience in the field I ultimately want to be in and I'm getting paid for it, so how could I not be happy?! Its just a small foot in the door, but I took it and am not looking back.

Let me tell you though, it is a lot of manual labor! Its weird being on the other side in the sun and heat on a ladder hammering things into a wood wall, wiping down ceremony chairs and hanging lanterns. Ya'll, I am not handy by any means (nor do I honestly ever recall climbing a ladder) and yet this past Friday and Saturday, there I was hammering away attempting to act like I knew what the hell I was doing...I don't think I fooled anyone, but no one said otherwise so we'll go with it. I had a blast even if I was sore. I'm so excited for the opportunity!

{From our wedding: you don't think about the fact that someone had to hang this stuff up...until it's YOU!}

I still need a "real" full time job soon. I have a few months left of severance pay, but not working makes me uneasy about the future and that is a feeling, I hate. Though I have become accustomed to my unemployment status and free days. I don't seem to have any problem finding things to do around the house and making lunch dates with friends. It's been nice, but I actually miss a routine (though once I get a ft job again, I'll bet I change my tune).
I've been sick for a week now. It started last week and got worse. Then it got better. Then I worked and seem to be worse, again. Something is going around and a lot of people are sick. I just want to be better. When I'm sick, I either don't eat a lot or I eat crap (like ice cream and pizza...lol) and I have zero energy. It sucks.  I plan to veg today so hopefully I can feel human again.

Remember when I threw my sister a Breakfast at Tiffany's style bridal shower? It was featured on Truly Chic Inspirations Party Page. Go check it out, here!

The spouse's birthday is next week...I have NO clue what to do for him...he hasn't given me any ideas, yet so I'm kind of waiting...but I feel like a bad wife for not having any ideas yet...suggestions?

That's all I got for today. Hope you all have a fabulous Monday!

I will love you forever...

If you go check out my very first guest post on Emilee's blog: Food, wine and interior design! Emilee is the wedding designer over at Cross Creek Ranch where J and I were hitched! She posts photos of weddings allll the time, folks. I love stalking reading her blog for my wedding photo fix (yea, I am somewhat of a wedding junkie. I know it) and she also blogs about eating well too and her adorable niece and nephew (I can totally relate to that). Not to mention, she is very nice. So go check it out!

Puh-lease and thank you! Visit, here

Thanks!

Little Sister Gets Married

As you know, there are now two newlywed gals in our family and I couldn’t be happier. The entire weekend was great and we gained another sibling in the process.

We started Friday off with the rehearsal (11/11/11 @ 11:00am), followed by lunch at Brio. If you have one near you , go people, food is good.

The happy couple

Ah-mazing eats at Brio

                                                

I was in such a food coma after, but there was no time for a nap. I had to high tail it to the salon I visit, for a quick micro sesh (According to my esthetician if I keep it up regularly I won’t have lines and wrinkles as I age…I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it makes me feel better) before hitting up the nail salon with the bridal party, our momma and friend for mani/pedi time. Dinner after was at BD's Mongolian Grill.

Yes, yes, yes I did make us take a photo of our nails

Sisters, mom and I after dinner

On Saturday, the bride to be, littlest sister, mom and I checked in to the Embassy Suites downtown for the night so we could get ready there on sister’s big day. Um, did you know that this hotel chain offers a free happy hour everyday from 5:30pm-7:30pm?! I did not, but that is worth the price itself, hell-o! Obvs, we attended said happy hour before hitting up dinner at Taverna Opa in Channelside for eats and more drinks. It was nice to have one last girls night with the awesome ladies in my family (side note: before my sister was engaged, hubs and I had wanted a fall wedding and had were looking to seal the deal on 11/12/11, just funny how this weekend still ended up being important to us, after all).

Free booze

                                     

Getting roped into dancing...Opa!

Sunday was of course, the BIG day. Hair was done, makeup was applied and nerves were…coming a tad undone. All in all, it was a beautiful day and try as I might I teared up like a baby as soon as I saw my dad and sis walking down the aisle (I debated having a drink beforehand but the day wasn’t about me, so I just had to suck it up, emotions and all. I just hate to cry in public). Hubs got a few photos on his cell of me standing next to the gorgeous bride but thanks to the sun and my tears, I feel as though I look über…squinty.

The food was delish and the drinks were aflowin’.

Before the ceremony

Mr & Mrs! 

Some of my fave girlfriends were able to come...

I think my three fave parts of the entire day were:

1) Seeing my sister and dad walk down the aisle
2) The wedding party entrance music, I’m on a Boat!

3) Their first dance. Sister’s husband (!) is way quiet but I saw him singing the words to her and it made me tear up (again) to see how much they love one another…

Happy Wedding, sister (and new brother)!






Sister's wedding WEEKEND

This Sunday, my little sister is getting hitched! I am beyond excited for her (and for the open bar as well, but I digress) even if she did have to go and get married the same year as me and all…(kidding, Shauna).

There are four of us kids in my crazy, dysfunctional family and Little Sister is the 2^nd oldest. In some ways, we couldn’t be more different but as we get older, we do have more in common and generally enjoy hanging out. When we were kids, she was my punky little sister that followed me places and wanted to be like her big sis, (can you blame her? Jussst kidding) but as we got into the pre and teenage years, we became even more opposite and that caused quite the riff for everyone in our house. I’m pretty sure I mostly got the mean sister rap for it, but Shauna had her moments as well…

See? She was looking up to me...

Cowabunga, dude.

Fast forward and luckily we’re grown ups now who (mostly) get along. I’m still a bossy britches sometimes (hey, I am the oldest. It’s bound to happen, ya’ll) and some days, she's still the lazy bones we all know and love. But we're family, sisters... friends. I am so happy for her and can't wait to see her walk down the aisle with our dad, dressed as a beautiful bride I know she'll be.

                                                  Bride to be at her bachelorette weekend! 10.22.11

                                                                  Martinis at Bar Louie (years ago) 

                                                  Being MOH at my wedding (this photo says it all)

I love you, sisser! Can’t wait to be your MOH this weekend!

Style Me Pretty...

As if you didn't already know, I am obsessed with all.things.wedding. I don't know if it's because I had such a great time planning ours, or because my little sister is getting married herself in less than two months (yes two sisters getting married in the same year. Sorry mom and dad!) or what, but I love all the details of a wedding. The couple, the little touches, the vows, the dancing, the food--all of it. And especially the photos. To me a great photographer (in our case; two) can make all the difference in preserving your day.

I am so obsessed in love with all of the sites out there that share said wedding "ish" with the world. One in particular is Style Me Pretty. I took a chance and submitted our wedding photos to them but didn't know if they'd choose our wedding or not (I mean if you have seen some of their posts, the weddings they feature are ah-mazingly gorgeous!).

But clearly I did not have enough faith in our spectacular day, because....SMP HAS FEATURED US!!

(Side note: when I told hubs, he asked if we got paid. I said, "No, but there may be other couples (read:brides) out there looking for inspiration for their own day and could stumble upon us!"  I also said, "We could be inspiration for someone else!"...He didn't get it)

But enough small talk, people. Please enjoy....our wedding and let me know what ya'll think!