Girl chooses venue

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl goes to Vegas.
Girl chooses venue.

When we decided to move the wedding to Vegas, my mom and I instantly both began to scour locations online. There are so many wedding venues in Las Vegas. So. Many. But what we started to notice is that most of them were indoors, draped in satin and had an Elvis option. None of those were things we wanted.

I was starting to think we might just go find a place in the desert, and bring our own chairs. Then I received a text message from my friend Sarah. She'd heard we were going to Vegas and wanted to tell me about a place that some friends of their family own. I looked it up online and it looked promising.

We set out to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving, and we had a plan. And a list. We had several venues we were planning to check out. I began calling around as soon as we got settled into the hotel and found that most of them were not open on Thanksgiving day, which is when we had kind of planned to check them out. The only one that I actually got a hold of a person was the venue that my friend Sarah had sent me. We arranged a time to meet him the day after Thanksgiving.

The plan was for us to get up in the morning and head to some of the other venues without appointments, then head to our appointment at 3pm. But as mom and I got in the car, we decided that we didn't really want to look at the other venues. So we headed to the outlet mall instead. It was Black Friday after all.

A little before 3 pm, we headed to the venue. The Ritz of Las Vegas. It was the most promising of the Venues we'd looked at online.

We met with the guy in charge, and after about an hour of viewing the venue and hearing about all of the details and just chatting, I knew it was perfect. It was a little bit more than we'd planned to spend for a venue, but it meant we could have a reception, which we weren't really planning on before.

So after only one short search, we booked a venue. This is where we will be getting married:

Girl chooses accessories

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy gives Girl beautiful ring.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl buys a dress.
Girl chooses jewelry.

My mother always says that the year I turned 10, I turned into an alien child. I was awful. But when I turned 11 I went back to normal. Not sure how that happened, but it did. That was also the year I refused to wear color. I wore blue jeans and over-sized white t-shirts. And don't even THINK about anything sparkly. Ironically that is also the year I got my ears pierced (for the first time). And I picked pink sparkly studs. But other than that, there was no sparkle for me.

I am not exactly sure when I changed my mind about sparkle, but if you ask my mom (or J, or anyone else who knows me), she will tell you that I love sparkle now. The more sparkle the better.

So even before I had chosen a dress, I began to think about what I wanted for jewelry. Once I did choose a dress, that vision became much clearer. I knew I didn't want a necklace. The neckline of my dress would be great for one, but I wanted bold accessories that would really be fun.

The first thing I found was a bracelet. I knew it was perfect.



I also knew I wanted pieces from Lauren of Lo Boheme. I've worked with her in the past on shoots I've done, and used her pieces on my models. I also have a few pieces she has made me that I am in love with. I even shot her new line recently. I knew I wanted to use her pieces. But I couldn't decide what!!! So after chatting with her, I decided on 3 different pieces that she is custom making for me (pictures will follow). One for the ceremony will be a birdcage veil and ivory flower. Then for the reception an Ivory and Purple flower piece. J and I are also doing a day after session with our photographers (more on this later as well) and Lauren is making me an amazing headband for that.

I knew I wanted to wear earrings, but I didn't want them to fight for attention with my hair. I found a pair when we were in Las Vegas, but I am still not sure they are exactly what I want. So I'm still searching for those.

There is a place on the side of my dress where there is a little tie (not to be confused with a neck tie) and there is a small space that is perfect for a brooch. And since I am working on the brooch bouquet, I decided that that was a must. When my grandma let me choose from her brooches from my bouquet, I immediately fell in love with this one:



I already blogged about my shoes.

There is one more very special touch. A surprise for J (I'm pretty sure he does not read this blog from Kuwait). J is an avid Miami Dolphins fan. I mean really. He is the definition of fanatic. So I found these on etsy:



I'm not even sure we will have a garter toss, but I knew I had to have these!

All of the little details are starting to come together and it is so much fun!

Girl gets brooches

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl asks for help.
Girl gets brooches.

I have been a youth pastor for almost 8 years. That's actually kind of how I met J, since he is a full time youth pastor when he isn't away in the Army. It's a little known fact on my blog... because for the most part I keep my photography blog about photography and my wedding blog about my wedding. But I have been working with these teenagers since a lot of them first entered middle school... and I've already graduated through a few groups. I adore these teenagers, and they become a big part of my life.

There's a very special girl in my youth group and her name is Shirley. She started coming a number of years ago and I have enjoyed every minute with her. She is not only a beautiful girl inside and out, but she is amazingly creative. She is into fashion design and photography. And she is really great at both! It has been fun to watch her grow up and develop into a young woman. I am blessed to know her.

A couple of weeks ago she brought me an adorable box that she had covered with pictures of me and J (who as I mentioned before is also her youth pastor). Inside were two beautiful pins for my bouquet. She said there was no special story behind them but she wanted to contribute to my bouquet. And I am so glad she did :)

I love getting all of these amazing brooches!
I am about half way there with about 30 brooches. I need about 30 more. So if you have one you'd like to send me (it can be old or new, with meaning or no meaning), I would love to get it! I am trying to collect them all by the beginning of February so I have enough time to put together the bouquet!

Girl goes shopping

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl goes shopping.

I love to shop.
It doesn't matter what I'm buying, or if I'm not even buying anything at all. But my favorite kind of shopping is the kind where you are looking for something specific... I imagine it's a bit like how the guys feel when they go hunting. I look, I find, I kill. Then I bring it home with me.

I knew that some shopping would be required for the wedding.
There's the typical shopping... dress shopping... shoe shopping....
But after we found the venue and started to put things together, I realized that I needed center pieces, and some fun little details.
And so the shopping began :)

The first shopping trip was with Javier's cousin-in-law, Danielle. She and I scoured several stores and managed to track down lots of treasures for great prices!







We also found several other things that I will be blogging about later on that turned into DIY projects.

Right now I am up in Oregon visiting family. One of our traditions is shopping the day after Christmas. We do it every year. At a ridiculously early hour of the morning. And we love every minute of it! It was not my plan to shop for the wedding... but it just sort of... happened.






































Okay now I know that some of that alone looks a little overwhelming... and almost cheesy. But not to worry. It won't be when I'm done with it :)

I am building a crazy collection of stuff. I can't wait to put it all together!!!
And I need to add a little note here for my mother: Please excuse the poor quality of these photos. I know I am a photographer, but I seem to take the majority of my personal photos with my cell phone. There is no excuse, I know. Don't worry... we will have a wedding photographer (2 actually)... I will not be taking our wedding photos with my cell phone.

Boy gives a gift

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy gets leave.
Girl goes to visit.
Boy takes Girl to Tiffany's.
Boy buys Girl a bracelet.
Girl says goodbye.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Boy sends a gift.

Christmas time.
The most wonderful time of the year.
Usually my most favorite time of the year.
I love the shopping and lights. The songs and the decorations.
But this year has been very different.
Having J gone has been really difficult.
I haven't been happy and full of cheer... but actually kind of sad and down.
It's hard missing our first Christmas together.

J mentioned that a Christmas gift would be arriving for me.
And it sure did.
From New Jersey.
I wasn't really sure how that happened or what to expect.
But I eagerly ripped into the shipping box and this was staring back at me:




I instantly knew what it was. I've become familiar with Tiffany & Co.



I slowly opened the little blue box and found a little blue pouch :)



And inside the little blue pouch...



Once again, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Not only had he not forgotten me on Christmas but he picked out an amazing gift that I was totally not expecting. I am constantly amazed at how he listens to the things I say and takes them to heart. Somehow, all the way from Kuwait, he managed to remember something that I had pointed out in the store months ago. Then he managed to have it sent to me... IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

Complete with the little blue box... and red holiday bow :)

And if I wasn't lucky enough... I found this note:



March cannot come soon enough! Only two and a half months until I marry my very best friend. The man who loves me more than I ever thought someone could.

Girl chooses colors

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl gets confused.
Boy tries to help.
Girl is still confused.
Boy changes plans.
Girl makes decisions.
Girl chooses colors.

One of the first decisions I was finally able to make when it came to the wedding was the color scheme. When we were originally planning on a big fancy November wedding, I had several different color schemes in mind. I couldn't seem to pick one. Part of my problem is that I like so many different things. I really have a hard time narrowing it down.

I love weddings that have a ton of bright color... or one bright color that really pops. But I also love weddings that are full of neutrals. And don't even get me started on metallics.

There are so many choices when it comes to color that I really didn't know how I would make a decision. To be honest, I'm still not sure exactly HOW the decision came about. I think it started with one photo and ended up evolving and growing and taking on a life of it's own.




This picture is from our engagement session with Jordana of Hazelnut photography. It just so happens that in most of our photos from that session, the feel is really purple and gray. And a color scheme was born.

I am not entirely sure when this decision was made... but I found that as I started to put things together... the decorations and the centerpieces... I was seeing a pattern of Purple and Gray. And Silver.

Since J is gone, I've been filling his room with all of the wedding stuff. I told him the other day that it looks like a Purple and Gray elf threw up all over his room. With sparkles.

I am so excited to see how it all comes together!

Girl makes bouquets

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding
Girl saves money.
Girl gets crafty.
Girl makes bouquets.

I knew early on that I didn't want to use live flowers in our wedding. I wanted something different and unique. I knew that I wanted to do a lot of things myself and be crafty. I like to be crafty :) I also knew pretty early on that my bouquet would be made from brooches. I did not think that the girls bouquets would also... that would just be too much. But I wanted something that would go together.

When I was googling things and looking around online, I came across this picture:



I decided I liked this idea, so I set out to try to recreate it. After several failed attempts at making something I really loved, I had success. And so I want to share a little DIY paper bridesmaid bouquet. As with all of the DIY projects I post, I'd love to see pictures if you do something similar! Or if you put a different twist on it! I love to see creativity!




Here are step by step instructions to make one. If you need to make more than one, just make sure you get enough supplies and repeat the instructions!

Things you will need:
-Styrofoam ball (I used 5")
-2 foot by 2 foot piece of fabric (keep in mind color will show through a little)
-wooden dowel (mine was about 6 inches long)
-rubber band
-inch wide ribbon (about a foot and a half should be enough)
-Dress maker pins (or something similar. Could use pearl headed pins instead)
-flower hole punch
-super glue
-4 to 6 sheets of scrapbook paper in coordinating colors (It will depend on how close together you want the flowers and if you want a single layer or a double layer. I put mine pretty close together and doubled each flower)

Step 1:
Place Styrofoam ball in the middle of fabric square


Step 2:
Fold fabric square in half diagonally over Styrofoam ball.


Step 3:
Pin fabric around ball leaving about a one inch space free.


Step 4.
Place wooden dowel into ball. (the trick here is to poke a hole about an inch deep into the foam with the dowel. Then take the dowel out and put super glue in the hole. Place the dowel back in and hold it to let glue dry.


Step 5:
Finish pinning fabric tight around Styrofoam ball


Step 6:
Rubber band the bottom of the fabric right under where the dowel ends.


Step 7:
Tuck loose ends of fabric up and wrap ribbon around and around, covering the dowel and fabric. Make sure to keep the ribbon tight. This is what the girls will hold, so it is important that it is good and tight. Put a couple of dots of super glue at the end of the ribbon to keep it from coming unwound.


Step 8:
Use flower hole punch to punch different colors of scrapbook paper


Step 9:
Pin flowers to ball with dressmaker pins. Turn up edges slightly to create texture and dimension. You can double up your flowers (either 2 of the same color or 2 different colors) to give it more dimension and color and texture. Pictured, I doubled up the flowers using 2 different colors.


Step 10:
continue pinning flowers until the surface of the ball is covered. Make sure to pin down any fabric that may not be flat as you go. Use the flowers to disguise any problem places in the fabric.

Step 11 (optional):
Super glue rhinestones down the handle of the bouquet to acheive a little extra sparkle... And make it look like it has been pinned.

And that's it! It's pretty simple, but a bit time consuming. Each of my bridesmaids will be carrying one of these... and I think it will end up looking pretty cool!

Girl gets brooches

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl asks for help.
Girl gets brooches.

So far, most of the brooches I have received have been from my family and friends. Which is perfect, that is exactly what I expected. But I got a really special surprise a couple of days ago when I stopped by Javier's parent's house. His mom handed me a bag of 4 brooches from Javier's aunt.

I have grown to love Javi's family. I am very blessed to be marrying into a family that has accepted me and love me. I am thankful to have a good relationship even with his extended family. I am grateful for the generous gift. One of these brooches has belonged to her since before she was married! What a special addition to my bouquet!

Girl gets brooches

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl asks for help.
Girl gets brooches.

She was that girl in high school that everyone loved. I don't think I ever heard anyone say a bad word about Monique. We played volleyball together, had classes together and spent lots of fun nights together. I was so fortunate to have a friend like Monique. She met her husband when we were all in high school together and it's been fun to watch their relationship grow into what it is today.

I received her brooch in the mail not long ago and I was so excited! It was so pretty and so much fun having one from her. But most of all, I loved the note she attached.





Hey Diandra!
No special story behind the brooch. I only hope it brings you the same kind of love Rob and I share. We may not be rich and while we dream of traveling the world together, we've only made it to Montana once! But to be honest, there is no place I would rather be, than in his arms, as corny as it sounds!
Congrats!
<3>




Thanks Monique!

Girl gets brooches

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl asks for help.
Girl gets brooches.

I anxiously check the mail every day.
Every day.
I am not exaggerating.
I think my poor mail man is afraid of me, because he doesn't usually even make it all the way to the mail box before I am riffling through the mail, looking for small packages that MIGHT contain another brooch for my bouquet.

A few days ago, I left for work and noticed a white envelope in the mail box.
After closer examination I realized it was an unexpected brooch! Two actually!!

A friend of mine from high school, Stacey, saw one of my posts on facebook about collecting brooches and mentioned that she had two that would be perfect.

I attended 3 high schools growing up. My family moved several times during that period of my life. The last high school I ended up at was here in Southern California. Valley Christian High School. I loved being at a private school. I loved the classes, and the teachers, and the fact that Jesus was in the curriculum. But not all of the kids were nice. Some were kind of mean. Stacey was always such a sweet girl, and while we weren't super close in high school, we've reconnected through facebook and I am so excited to add her brooches to my bouquet!







Thanks Stacey! These will be perfect :)

Girl makes a website

Boy proposes to Girl
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Boy invites family.
Girl invites family.
Girl makes a website.

When we made the change to the wedding plans, and decided to go out of town for the wedding, some things stayed the same, but a lot of things changed. Coordinating a wedding out of town is not the easiest thing in the world... in fact, it has proven to have lots of complications. One of those is communicating all of the proper information to our family.

Originally when we planned to go out of town, I didn't think we'd send out invitations. It's only a very small amount of people... our close family... so I figured we'd just tell them all the info. But it didn't take long for me to realize that was not going to work. Besides, the photographer, crafter in me couldn't do without an invitation... what would I scrapbook?!?

My next attempt at organization and letting everyone know all of the information was creating a wedding website. There are lots of companies that do this, and lots of free ways to do this through wedding websites, but since I do this for my clients, I decided I would do my own. Then I could make it look however I wanted it to, and put whatever info I want!

So here is our wedding website. It will give away some hints to future blogs, but I am excited to share it anyway :)

www.javierdiandra.diandraann.com

Girl gets brooches

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl asks for help.
Girl gets brooches.

I think that one of my very favorite components of my wedding is my brooch bouquet. It is sooooo fun seeing the pins that everyone has been picking out. And I love that there are people contributing from all times in my life! This has turned out to be such a great project!

I received a small package in the mail the other day and I got SO EXCITED because I instantly knew it was brooches! I opened it up, and sure enough! Sent all the way from Brookings, Oregon. These pins were specially sent from my best friend (and Maid of Honor) and her sister and mom.

Davene and I met when we were in high school. I moved to Brookings in the middle of my freshman year. We didn't like each other initially but it didn't take long and we were fast friends. We became closer and closer, and when she and her mom and sister moved in right down the street, we became inseparable. Every night was spent at my house or her house, but always together. Her mom was like a second mom for me, and mine for her. Her sister became my sister... and also my friend.

We have maintained a close friendship through years, miles and the craziness of life. I am so thankful to have Davene, Tiffani and Kim in my life. And I am thankful they were so thoughtful in sending me these brooches!




Love her sweet note!


These are going to look awesome in my bouquet!!!

Girl goes to Vegas

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Girl gets overwhelmed.
Girl goes to Vegas.

I reached a breaking point.
I was here at home, attempting to plan a wedding a year down the road after J was home.
There were moments of enjoyment and excitement but mostly it was stressful.
After a conversation with my mom, J and I decided that it would be best to simplify.

And a plan was born.

Instead of the November wedding we were planning to have here at home, we would have a wedding in March when he came home on R&R. And we would go to Vegas!

We still wanted a wedding... and not a satin draped Elvis chapel wedding.
And so the search for a venue continued... but now, in Las Vegas.

With J being gone, and not really having a lot of experience with Vegas, we decided the best thing to do would be to take a trip over there. So for Thanksgiving, my mom and dad and I made the 5 hour drive to Las Vegas.



We had a mission: Plan a wedding in 3 days.
We made a lot of progress and I came home with a plan.

We found a fantastic Venue and we also managed to plan out where to stay, where to take pictures, and all kinds of little details like that.

I am getting excited as this wedding is taking shape. I am finally on a role. I have major direction! Lots of blogs coming with all the details!

And while we were in Vegas, my mom bought me another brooch. So I'd have one from Las Vegas :) It's also one of the colors we are using in the wedding (more on that in a later post!)

Boy uses webcam

Boy meets Girl.
Boy and Girl become friends.
Boy falls in love with Girl.
Girl falls in love with Boy.
Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl misses Boy.
Boy misses Girl.

I knew it would be hard.
I knew I would miss him.

But the thing is... J is not just my fiance. He is my very best friend.
For quite a while, we've been inseparable. We've spent every spare minute together, and even worked together. We've been together from the time we got up in the morning, until going home at night. Going from that, to not seeing each other for several months, and having limited contact... needless to say it is incredibly difficult.

I know that communication in the Army is limited when they are overseas. I get that. But I have been blessed with an amazing guy, who truly loves me. I have heard from many of the girls whose husbands, boyfriends and fiance's are overseas as well (or who have been in the past). I hear over and over how little they hear from their significant others. So when J got to the middle east, I was pleasantly suprised when I got a phone call right away. And then another. And another. And another.

I have continued to get phone calls, and emails throughout the time that J has been gone. Sometimes that means that he has to get dressed in his full fatigues, walk for quite a ways, wait in line, and call me from a phone there on the base. Sometimes it means balancing a laptop on a chair in the middle of their tent. But whatever it takes, he contacts me. He calls me, he emails me, and on a very special occasion, he will Skype with me!



I am so thankful for my hardworking fiance. I am so thankful for a man that loves me so much that he will walk across the desert in the middle of the night just to talk to me for a few short minutes. Over and over again.

Sometimes I feel a little like I'm 16 years old, and that cute boy in my English class looked my direction and smiled.
And then asked me out.
I get butterflies when I hear his name.
I find myself daydreaming about the next time I will see him.
When my phone rings and his ringer plays, I am a bit giddy.
And I've even scribbled my name and his last name across a paper or two.
Yep, I'm basically a glorified 16 year old girl.

But I am absolutely in love with this man.
And I am so blessed that he loves me just as much.
Maybe more :)