Showing posts with label Pictures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pictures. Show all posts

Newlywed Christmas Card Pictures




In honor of this sweet guy's birthday today, I thought I'd share the pictures we took a few weeks ago for our Christmas cards! I'm still trying to decide which card design I like...there are so many, and it brings back the anxieties from picking a save the date.

Big thanks to my "forever maid of honor" for snapping these quickly with my camera!

Outfit details
CJM: Shirt/belt from Cotton Brothers
PDM: Dress from Red Dress Boutique | Cotton Boll earrings & bracelet from John Wind | Leather quilted riding boots from Talbots, similar.




Bridal Portraits




There haven't been a ton of wedding pictures floating around the interwebs because 1. They aren't done yet {Who wants to rush the photographer? Take your time and make me look fab, please!!} and 2. I really want to try and submit our photos to a few wedding magazines in hopes of getting it featured {because I'm super proud of it all!} and one of the stipulations of submission is that there is basically no prior 'scoop' on the event.

So in an effort to post-pone as long as possible, and give myself time to reflect, I thought I would share just a few of my bridal portraits! I took these about a month before the wedding which was a great run through of hair, make up, and all the accessories. I took the puppies with me as a surprise for Christopher, which was revealed on our wedding day when a framed engagement photo was swapped during the ceremony with a bridal portrait. He loved it!







Pup-date




I realized that while I share a ton about my life on this blog, I've neglected a huge section: my puppies! Yes, yes, my puppies, plural. If you've been reading since the beginning, you may remember when I brought teeny tiny Layla Claire home, and how quickly she grew. Shortly after I got Layla, Christopher got Samantha, the golden retriever. Since she's such a classic American dog, we named her after a classic American girl doll! 

While we were living across the state from each other, the dogs were not friendly. Samantha is a big lover, and Layla is very jealous and protective of me. It took some time for the two of them to get used to each other. Eventually, they began to get along which made things a lot easier.

In September, I took Samantha on full time. Christopher was beginning pharmacy rotations, and would be changing sites every five weeks or so. I thought it would be better for Samantha to have a more consistent and regular routine {and I love a good routine!}, and would also be easier for all four of us to live under the same roof after the wedding if three of us are already used to it. 


After a couple of transitional weeks, the girls really began to get used to always being together. Now they play together, go outside together, and even eat and drink out of the same bowl!  You have no idea what an accomplishment that is. 


I love spending time with their two very different personalities. Samantha always wants to play with the ropes or throw the balls, or love all over you--there is no 'off' button for her. Layla has finally become somewhat of a lap dog, and is laying on me much more. But she always prefers her ball over anything else. 


Layla has always had this one ball that she loves. It's a specific plastic ball that can only be found in certain Christmas stockings at Petsmart. She knows the difference between it and all other balls. As hilarious it is, it's also kind of annoying. If the ball disappears or is torn up, her world ends. If she forgets to bring it to bed at night, she will literally scratch at the bedroom door so I can let her out to go and get it. 


Three girls, one boy. Oh what a very particular household Christopher is entering into!

Layla always lays on my bags if I leave her
with anyone for any length of time. 
Samantha apparently thinks she's the same size as LC...
or a cat. Either one. 

P.S. Would you mind entering your email into the "Follow By Email" slot to the right of this post, directly above my Instagram feed? That way, you'll get an email every time there is a new post, and only when there is a new post, so you can stay up to date. Thanks!


#2015bestnine




2015 has been such a whirlwind of a year. Today, I'm exactly four months away from getting married and with New Year's Eve tomorrow, it seems like the perfect time for reflection.

2015 Best Nine Memories
My best memories of this past year don't exactly align with my most popular Instagram photos of the year, but they're pretty close.

  1. Engagement pictures--this was something I had looked forward to for such a long time. We had a great day with the perfect weather, as well as an excellent photographer who helped me relax and perfectly captured our relationship. Christopher and I both talk about how much fun we had on that day, and how excited we were to look through the pictures only a million times. 
  2. Dolls Do HHI--The first of hopefully many annual college girlfriends weekends during the last weekend of July on Hilton Head Island. Too many memories from this weekend to count, and too many we may not remember...oops. 
  3. Georgia Southern football games--something I look forward to every year, but this year was by far the best. We got into a really good groove, and I loved having my regular weekend visitors stay with me!
  4. My best friend's wedding--Niki's wedding was a definite reoccurring theme throughout 2015. Weddings seem to provide extra opportunities for fun times together, which I love. We had a great time going on her bachelorette in Chattanooga, and her wedding was perfection. 
  5. Wedding planning--Once we settled on a date in early spring, planning my wedding truly began! Finally! It's been something I've really enjoyed and has been relatively stress free. I've had a while to cultivate a vision and feel for the day, which has helped the other events like showers and things come together seamlessly as well. Of course, I couldn't do this without my mom and Maid of Honor, as we hash and rehash everything a million times each night on the phone! 
  6. Moving into my new house--I moved into a new house at the end of February which I am incredibly thankful for. It has been a place of serenity for me, as well as a home full of laughter and love, filled frequently with friends and family. I'm thankful to have the space to share and time together. 
  7. Starting Therapy--maybe this isn't the cool thing to talk about, but starting to see a therapist regularly has been life changing for me. It's something I look forward to, and something I've grown from. Most people know that my life over the past two/three years has been tumultuous at best. After keeping a strong front, I finally wore down and could not handle the stress any longer. After working through some bigger, overarching issues, my sessions focus a lot of self development and being an emotionally healthy person. My goal from the beginning has been that I want to be my best self for my marriage. I feel like therapy has helped all of my relationships so much, but also my own personal sanity and physical health as well. If you're questioning it, don't--just find someone you're comfortable with and trust. It's life changing! 
  8. Phi Mu--I've become an advisor for my Phi Mu chapter this year, and have also taken on an important role in the chapter's housing corporation. It's been challenging, but so very rewarding. I love spending time with the girls that were mine when I was the new member director, as well as learning from the alums that are still involved 60+ years after graduating.  
  9. Friendships--My friendships have evolved a lot this year. I've also needed my friends more this year. It takes a while to transition from seeing your friends everyday in college, to incorporating them into your daily life postgrad in an intentional, real way. I've also developed more 'adult' or 'professional' friendships that I enjoy.  I'm thankful for the reconnections, the closeness, and joy that I've experienced in these relationships and can't wait to celebrate together in the coming months. 
Thankful for an amazing 2015, but I know 2016 is going to be even better...I can't wait!

Celebrating the Carters




 After a very fun evening preparing for the big day, November 1 came rather early. We all thought that since the time change was happening that morning, we'd be getting an extra hour of sleep. Unfortunately, my body clock is pretty well tuned and I was awake at 5:30 a.m. due to my summer sleep schedule of waking up at 6:30 a.m. Bummer.

The day went smoothly, and although it drizzled throughout the day, there was a break in the rain during the ceremony. The pictures all probably turned out even more stunning because of the overcast skies. Ashleigh Dees Photography took all of the professional shots throughout the day--they were a joy to work with. You can check out the profesh pics here, which are way more exciting than my iPhone shots!

We had a blast at the reception, dancing the afternoon away. I gave my first ever wedding speech, and managed to not sob through the entire thing, which I was worried about. We sent the couple off to the the Dominican Republic {which was a surprise for the bride!} before heading home. I'm so thankful I was able to be a part of such a perfect day!


Ceremony Space


Guest Book/Gift Table

Send-off Station

Bar Details

Seating Chart--super impressed I managed to
pull this off the morning of!

Bar



Groom's Donut Cake




The Bride's Beautiful Dress

My handsome wedding date--hey, only six months till ours!

Bouquet featuring our Phi Mu pins

The Bride!

How We Met--Big/Lil while Phi Mu's at Georgia Southern

Family

Monogramed Doors

The Ladies

Engagement Pictures: Round Three




In April, Christopher and I took our engagement pictures with one of my sorority sisters, Ari. She took my brother's senior pictures back in March, and my biffle/big/future sister-in-law Niki's engagement pictures earlier in the year. We went to three different locations that all held importance to us as a couple, and I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites from each place.

So there is this grove of trees on Highway 67 towards Savannah that I pass every time I go see Christopher. It's beautiful, and the funny thing is that it's shoved between a store with ginormous tractors out front, and a rather unfortunate looking neighborhood. I've always thought to myself, "Oh, I'd like to take pictures there some day." So when Ari said she wanted to head out to this grove on 67 for our last spot, we hopped in the car and followed along behind her without a second thought. I was thrilled that she too wanted to take pictures there, and we had the best time going for a little "nature walk" in the grove.

Now it's an even more important place to drive by, and I can't wait to someday {a long time from now...} take a Little or two out there for pictures as a family.



 





P.S. Another fave from this location will be on my Instagram account later today! Check it out: @piperellice