wedding update: rehearsal dinner

Typical Lindsey style, I was late to the rehearsal at the church on Friday night. Weeeell, honestly if I was there at 5:35 pm and it started at 5:30 pm, is that late? Apparently everyone kept reassuring Mr. T that I was coming. He told me later that he would have been MORE nervous if I was actually on time! I mean- does he know me or what?

Our rehearsal was held at Ralph & Kacoo's. The Tison family graciously hosted a wonderful dinner and aren't these table arrangements the cutest? Mr. T's cousin, Megan, did such a wonderful job. Love is in the details!

Look at these proud parents ;)

So thankful to have so many wonderful people present to support our marriage!

Our friends came in from all over to show their love- it brings tears to my eyes!

My beautiful bridesmaids and most of their mates- even baby Aiden - made it! 

Jordan and Patrick, y'all are such troopers!

Besties!

 

And then there were toasts...OH the toasts...Sister HUGS!!! I love these ladies so much!

 I can't even explain how it made me feel to hear such out pouring of love and encouragement from my friends - my sisters and brothers. I will never forget it. I can't believe I was worried no one would say anything!

I have to admit I was expecting a lot from my dad and he did not disappoint! He is always such a wordsmith and he wrote a poem for the night that not only made me cry, but embarrassed the pants off me! (notice everyone laughing as I cover my face...) Good one, Daddy-O. ;)

My mother gave the most eloquent and heartfelt speech I have ever heard - even my girlfriends were tearing up. Mrs. Chris expressed her love and faith that shined through her spirit. And my beloved- he just said it like it is- he said he knew, he always knew - we were supposed to be together. I truly love this man.

What can I say?? We are super-dooper-ooper blessed to have so many loved ones. What a wonderful night. Thanks to all!

wedding update: bridesmaids' luncheon

You guys! I'm married! What?! I have been overwhelmed with how to share all the images from my most amazing weekend-ever and I suppose starting with Friday only makes sense!


My Bridesmaids Luncheon at The Remington Suite Hotel:
Thank you to the lovely hostesses that kick started the wedding weekend with the most stunning bridesmaids luncheon a girl could ever imagine. The table arrangements, the flowers, the cake, the food, the chairs, the location, all of it was exceptional - but the true gift was getting to share this time with each one of you. I am filled with gratitude for your love and generosity. We (Mr. and Mrs. T) treasure you.

Pulling the Wedding Cake Charms - is this only a southern thing?

 These sexy ladies made my weekend! I love you ALL so incredibly much!

Aiden and Jordan flew all the way from Chicago for Mr. T and my big day! (she is only 1 month old! Bless her heart.) Katie had her aunt, whom is an amazing artist, watercolor flowers on our wedding invitation. I can't wait to frame and hang this in my house forever.

Frances came in from Missouri and celebrated her 30th birthday on my wedding day! I seriously have the best friends in the world. T's Aunt Maria had these Waterford candles sticks brought in from Ireland to bless our marriage. And these two on the bottom right -Chessi and Mrs. Karen- have helped me/coached me/calmed me down through the whole wedding process. Priceless memories and much love.

  Emily R's family came in from Houston and Thomas was our handsome ring bearer! More on that later. All of these ladies have been so supportive and I am forever grateful. Emily G came in from Baton Rouge and stayed at my mom's house with me on Thursday night.

Mom, Lauren and I began with at-home spray tans and wedding cake martinis; Chessi, Emily, Leslie and I stayed up late looking at old photos and drinking wine on the front porch. I will treasure that night for a lifetime.... now back to Friday!

What can I say about these two ladies? They helped raise me. They are truly the perfect blend between friends and mothers to me. 

A special thank you to the all the Hudson and Tison family members for your travels from Texas, south Louisiana, and Miami to be here! Leslie came in for 3 weeks from Zimbabwe for all the wedding festivities - thank you for all the moments we got to share together. Mrs. C - thanks for coming in for a whole month to share in the craziness that is me. I love you so. 

It means the world to us that so many people traveled from near and far, to share their time with us. What an experience to have all the people you love in one room.

on wedding dresses and tilapia pan fried in butter...

Chessi and I drove to Dallas last Thursday for my first dress fitting at Stanley Korshak. I don't know why I was so nervous about it, but I could barely sleep the night before. When we arrived my hands were shaking. This isn't just a sample... the sales associate unzips the hanging bag to reveal THE dress. As I step into it, I look in the mirror to basically find a pretty sheet draped over my shoulders. "Where's the dress I fell in love with," I wondered with a concerned look on my face. At just about that moment I hear the all too familiar "POP" of champagne. Chessi had packed it in her bag all the way from Shreveport, just for this moment. And so from the bottle I drank standing in my wedding dress with the sales lady's jaw on the floor. Listen - you do whatcha gotta do.

Yesterday (a week from my first appt. with Chessi), my mom and I drove back to Dallas to see if the dress had taken shape. My bridal photos are this Saturday, so there really was no time to waste. I have (and am continuing to) learn that wedding dress alterations are a process that involves many fittings. After a brief debacle about whether to stay the night in Dallas to have more alterations done or not, I drove back to Shreveport with my wedding dress that is fit to my body and ready to be photographed tomorrow.

This would be an appropriate time to share a photo of the item I have been discussing throughout this post, but you will just have to wait until after May 18th ;) Instead, I will show you how Chessi, Stafford and I celebrated the end of the nerve racking first fitting.

a little butter goes a long way in regards to happiness, in my opinion.

my wedding dress has landed...

That's right, friends. My wedding dress has made it's way to Dallas, all the way from the United Kingdom. I am itching to get there and see it, touch it, try it on... my first fitting is one month away from my wedding day- this Thursday. I have butterflies just thinking about it. Will it be as I remember it from October, when mom and I found "the one"? Will all my workouts and dieting prove to be worth it when i turn around and see myself in the mirror for the first time? Will I cry?

I have been obsessing about jewelry and shoes- sending my mom and sisters links to things I have found online the last few months, but have I ordered anything yet? No. Do I have a veil yet? No. Am I a little bit nervous about getting all of this done and being happy with the woman -the bride- I see in the mirror before walking down the aisle toward my future husband? YES!

...and because I don't like posts without pictures here are a few of my beautiful friends. Lindsey was just married this past weekend - Congratulations!!

and Lacey is only two weeks away from her big day! Hooray!!!

This week's wedding goals (which hits the one month mark) include:
- creating, finalizing, and ordering ceremony programs
- pick out a wedding band ring
- find wedding shoes before fitting
- continue writing thank you notes for the fabulous wedding showers I have had
  (pictures are up on facebook, but I'm still doing a blog post soon)
- order bridesmaid gifts
- complete a few diy projects
- wedding dress fitting on Thursday
- go over wedding day details/create schedule and send to vendors and wedding party
- meet with photographer about bridal session location and specific shots I want
- find/order/or borrow bridesmaid luncheon dress and rehearsal dinner dress


Before I finish this post I just have to comment on the Boston Marathon bombing. My heart goes out to all that have been affected by this terrible act of terrorism. I will continue to pray for all that were involved in this tragedy.

purple pom poms and pretty people!

Yesterday afternoon I found myself surrounded by women that I have known for years. Women that have supported me almost my entire life; they have prayed for me, loved me, and laughed with me. To consider myself blessed is an understatement. I am honored to know them and lucky to have them in my corner. My mother has shown me the importance of friendship, not only through her words, but through her actions. She has friends she has known since she was a little girl, friends from her first job as a nurse, other mothers she has met through schools, church, or her zillion other craft groups and activities. Without her kind nature and loving heart that she shares with others everyday, I would never have known such kindness. These wonderful friends have reached out to offer their time and efforts to me to help celebrate our marriage. Thank you, Mom for always being an example of how to be a woman, a mother, and a friend. I love you.

Thanks Mrs. Gerry for taking pictures at the shower! And thanks Aunt Susan for traveling in from Texas for the shower. To those that couldn't make it, you were with us in spirit! -xoxo-

bride brain...

Hey there.
My name is Lindsey and I've got bride brain.
Symptoms include: feeling overwhelmed, highly emotional and sensitive, forgetful, selfish at times, excited, and craving anything chocolate or any movie involving a bride storyline.

I've been engaged for 8 months. I have about 500 lists of ideas and things to do for the wedding in different notebooks scattered around me at all times.

This week's tasks involved coordinating with the calligrapher for my invitations, ordering stamps online and forgetting to do the math*, finishing the wedding list and the bridesmaid luncheon list, ordering pages for my wedding guest book, making an appointment in Dallas to pick out a veil and shoes - later cancelling that appointment because I got sick, calling hair and makeup for a bridal session, speaking with photographer about ideas for bridal session (which reminds me that I need to call the florist about a bouquet) and finally making an appointment with Aly B's about the wedding cake....

My two wedding mantras are "Is this the hill I want to die on?" (per Fr. Gallagher) and the ever faithful Serenity Prayer.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

 These two mantras, plus this little meme my fiance just sent me, remind me that it's all worth it- that love is in the details and I'm about to marry my best friend.

*I went to zazzle.com because I didn't like the USPS stamps they were offering...I found a pretty colorful bouquet that I liked and thinking that zazzle would be the same price as USPS for stamps- I didn't do the math. Later though, when I realized I was paying 65% more than I should have on something that everyone throws away- I was having trouble breathing. How could I have not worked this out in my head? What was I thinking? Guys, I've got bride brain.

weekend happenings...

This weekend went by quickly as all weekends tend to do. I always find myself saying on Sunday nights, "Just one more daaaaayyyy!" - in a kind of whiny little girl voice. This is what my weekend looked like:
Friday-
I went to St. Johns to listen to the author of Left To Tell. I haven't read the book but I'm familiar with the devastating Rwandan Holocaust. Her experience moved me to tears. The power of forgiveness is absolutely unbelievable. I am looking forward to reading Immaculee Ilibagiza's book. She is such a beautiful person.
Saturday-
My mom, the Southern Trace coordinator, the florist, wedding coordinator and I met for four hours discussing the details of my upcoming nuptials. Can you believe it is in 82 days?? Me neither. After the meeting, I stopped at the new Wine Country Bottle Shop location for a much needed bottle of wine :) Steve and MC had us over for Crawfish Time and fireside chats. The night ended with a dance fest at Bears. I may or may not have been the only one dancing...

Sunday-
Lauren insisted I put on my spandex and wind shorts for a 90s style roller blade excursion in Spring Lake on Sunday afternoon. Let me tell you- blading up those hills is NOT easy- Neither was the little fall I had at Pierremont Oaks where two seriously concerned older gentlemen had to assist me up off my a$$ when I flipped feet up/butt down off a ramp... no- i wasn't mortified at allllllll..... as we rolled away from the club house I thought Lauren and I were going to pee in our pants from laughing so hard.

Last night was the Oscars. For some odd reason Comcast lost connection about 45 minutes into broadcasting the show - so Russell, Tiffany, Tison, and I opted to watch the James Bond action film Skyfall with a fresh bowl of popcorn. I approve.

a road trip honeymoon!!!

Yes, that's right! We have planned our honeymoon! Tison had the day off for Fat Tuesday and when I got home from work he had made a whole honeymoon itinerary...eeek! What a sweet surprise! I'm so excited. I have always talked about how I would love to go to Asheville, North Carolina. I have heard nothing but amazing things about the place. Tison remembered this and scheduled the whole thing around it. We are going on a road trip baby!

Our Honeymoon Itinerary is still in progress so please let us know of any restaurants or attraction ideas! With 250 independent restaurants in Asheville alone, we would LOVE to hear your suggestions!

{The first day of our married life}

Sunday May 19, 2013 - Drive to Asheville, North Carolina
Leave Shreveport around 530/600 to get to Asheville 12.5 hour drive
Check in Hotel
Walk around downtown – grab some food and drinks

Monday May 20, 2013 - Discover Asheville
- The Botanical Gardens of Asheville, The North Carolina Arboretum 

{check out this incredible fall foliage time lapse video as well}

Tuesday May 21, 2013 - Asheville
 Biltmore Village/Estates - House, Winery, Gardens and Conservatory
Blue Ridge Parkway afternoon hike

Wednesday May 22, 2013 - Asheville
Discover the Outdoors – Hiking, Scenic Views, etc
Grandfather Mountain
Appalachian Trail – North Carolina edition
Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures

Thursday May 23, 2013 - Asheville/ Charlottesville
Check Out of hotel
Take our time to Charlottesville, Virginia driving up Blue Ridge Parkway
- 5.5 hours from Asheville
Check in Hotel
Walking Tour:
Belmont Neighborhood, art galleries, local breweries, wineries, etc
Historic Pedestrian Mall
Visit University of Virginia

Friday May 24, 2013 - Charlottesville
Spend morning at Thomas Jefferson's Estate - Monticello
Mulberry Row  and  Saunders-MonticelloTrail
Ash Lawn-Highland - home of James Monroe
Hike at the Shenandoah National Park

Saturday May 25, 2013 - Charlottesville/Memphis
Take the long way home! Stop in Memphis
Spend day/evening in Memphis

Sunday May 26, 2013
Head home 

Live Happily Ever After!

you're nobody till somebody loves you...

What can I say that would describe Saturday’s absolute beauty? As we drove into Taylortown and over the levee toward the setting sun, the orange reflection bounced off the lake and warmed the faces of friends and loved ones gathered in one of my favorite places on earth to celebrate our love.

Even now, my heart is overflowing with emotion as I think of that night. To call the night perfect is to call Manolo Blahnik's shoes alright, Grace Kelly cute, or Will Ferrell kinda funny. It is an understatement. Our engagement soiree exceeded all of my expectations. So many loving hands shaped that night... so much time, so much thought, so much detail. I am still processing it all, trying to remember every enchanting detail before my memory fails me.

As the day turned into night, the oak trees stretched out their arms, dangling dozens of lanterns to illuminate the party and whisper romance. It reminded me of Peter Pan’s Neverland, as if Tinkerbell and her fairy friends were all invited.

Chef John, who started the original Monjuni's and Bella Fresca, handed around delectable hor d'oeuvres. He was so thoughtful, making a point to find me in the crowd with any new delicacy he had on his tray. At the sign-in table there was a framed picture of me playing dress-up in a wedding gown, probably taken around age 6. Mom found it in our old family photo albums. I had totally forgotten I did this.

Friends encircled mini bonfires while they made s’mores, filling the cool air with smoke and laughter. Dad made a playlist that set the tone for the evening, and everyone kept commenting on how great the music was. He also made a toast that made me gulp down tears. Raising my glass, I rambled through my toast, trying to express my gratitude. Tison most eloquently concluded with "I am just the silent celestial body in all of this;"  laughter and applause followed.

No, perfect doesn't quite describe it, but magical certainly does.

Thank you to all the host and hostesses for making this night so special and "pinterest" worthy! You all are AMAZING!

Amanda and Lauren are responsible for these beautiful images. You both know how much I love photos and it means the world to me that you spent your evening capturing precious moments :) love y'all.

 Come on May 18th! We're ready.