Rehearsal dinner

We found a spot for the rehearsal dinner! :) We chose a place called Tradiciones. We knew we wanted Mexican because of Josh's heritage and this place is super adorable. We're having it the day before the wedding, and on the menu is fajitas, yummy dessert and a margarita hour! What could be better??! It will be out on the patio ,it's so cute - it looks like a little village, and is going to have some great photo ops! Can't wait!!!!

The tuxes and the menu

Yesterday, Josh and I had our dinner menu tasting for the wedding. It was so much fun! We brought our good friend Caleb along too, so he could give us an unbiased opinion, and it was really helpful. We are giving choices of beef and chicken, so before our tasting we thought our choices would be prime rib and asiago chicken. We weren't able to try the prime rib because they would have had to cook an entire prime rib for just the three of us ... dang it! So instead we tried stuffed salmon and the asiago chicken, along with salads and about five different types of sides. I'm not too keen on fish, but the salmon looked amazing and both Josh and Caleb said it was really tasty. The asiago chicken - was not. I'm really glad we got to try it beforehand and know that it's not as good as it sounds. Our final choices ended up being the prime rib (even though we couldn't try it, you can't really mess up something yummy like that) and chicken piccata. For the prime rib sides we chose garlic mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables and for the chicken piccata we chose rice pilaf and vegetables. So, dolls - when you get your response card that asks beef or chicken, you'll know more in detail what to expect. :)



We also went to Men's Warehouse and got the tuxedo order set up. The guys have good taste, I must say! We ended up choosing coral vests that are a little lighter than the dresses will be, which is good, because I think it will tie everything together as far as the variations of coral colors in the flowers, dresses and tuxes ... since I'm discovering everyone has a different idea of what that color really is! Josh is wearing ivory to match my dress, and we're putting the Dad's in black on black. It's going to look so sharp, I can't WAIT to see all the important men in my life all dressed up!



I'm sending out my invitations by the end of this week (that's the goal anyway :)) so expect to see them in the mail! And RSVP of course!

Very exciting! 76 days til the big day ... not that I'm counting. ;)

We're registered!

Josh and I just registered at Bed Bath and Beyond and Target. Click the links below to take you there! :)

Take me to Bed, Bath and Beyond!

I wanna go to Target!

RESERVATIONS!

I just recieved the link from Crowne Plaza for my guests to make reservations so please do it! If you're even considering staying where we are getting married, check out the link! Rooms are discounted for my guests about half price - only $69/night! They won't charge your credit card until you check in either. Please let me know if you have any questions! Also, one more secret - it only shows one option as a room with two double beds, however if you book that, you can CALL them and change it to one king. :)

https://resweb.passkey.com/go/SwiresFant2009

If you prefer to call, the phone number is 1-800-2CROWNE (1-800-227-6963. Just mention you are making reservations under the Swires/Fant wedding party.

I also just picked up my dress yesterday. This is all getting so real! I can't wait!<

It's been a while ...

OMG.

I can't even believe it's less than 4 months to the wedding. It blows my mind how fast this day is approaching, and how soon all these wedding plans and thoughts that are consuming my brain 24/7 will come to fruition. So needless to say, that's why it's been a while since my last post.

So, what's new? I've done a simple trial run on one piece of my candy buffet! See?



I will be going to be mom's within the next few weeks to do a trial run on ALL the candy/containers we have. Will be cute. :)

Also found these super adorable gerbera daisy flowers in my colors - deciding whether to put them on the guestbook table or candy table. They're about 3 feet tall!



Picking up my dress on Friday. FINALLY! Can't wait to try it on again!

Also, I just sent in a contract to my hotel to guarantee anyone who wants to stay for the wedding some GREAT rates! About 1/2 price! As soon as it's all processed, I'll give everyone a link to book reservations. You'll want to stay there and celebrate with us after all! :)

I've been told that some of my favorite SWIRES are going to try and make it out for the wedding. Yes, yes please. I am talking to you, Uncle Steve, Roxanne and Lauren. I love you all and can't wait to hopefully see you there. XOXO!

Peaches and cream

I decided that is the "theme" of the wedding. It's more or less the colors - variations of peachy oranges and corals, and cream being the accent colors and that same color of my WEDDING DRESS!

That's right, I picked it out! I am sooo excited. Everyone kept telling me "when you try on the right dress you will know". Cue eye roll because it sounds so cliche, but omg, it's so true. I went shopping today with my mom and I tried on a few arbitrarily because I thought we weren't choosing until next week, but when I put this one on, I just knew. So odd, because we weren't really searching today, and I also thought for sure I wanted WHITE over ivory and thought I wanted a lace up back - my dress is none of these, but I love it.








As you can see, it's a corset style top with buttons down the back. It's sort of antique looking, which I adore, because my wedding/engagement ring has that sort of look to it too. It has a pickup style skirt. It's simple, and feminine and elegant, all the things I wanted. I just adore it.

My mom and I were just on a roll today! We also found HER wedding dress (for those who don't know, she's marrying her beau Steve in HAWAII a month after my wedding! How cool is that?!) We also found the remaining glassware needed for my candy bar and the most amazing card box. It looks like a treasure chest, it's in my colors, and it says "live, laugh, love" at the top:



Now the only "big" detail we have left to plan is the honeymoon! Fun!

Alright bridesmaids, ball's in your court for the shower! ;)

Brittany baby!

So, I have added a bridesmaid to my wedding, and I'm so excited! My friend Brittany will be up there with me and I'm so happy. :) Ugh, it's disgusting, I have the BEST four girls as my bridesmaids, and they are all so special to me in different ways yet all in the same way - ALL of them have known Josh and I since the beginning. All of them have been so amazingly supportive and just "get" why we are so happy together. What can be better?

Yes, that means we also added a groomsman. So excited. Now we have 4 and 4. Who we added is surely going to upset some people. Well one person. It's not our intention, but it's bound to happen. I just keep having to tell myself that this is Josh and I's day, ALL that matters in the end is that WE are happy on this day, and we won't regret anything. I know we won't. And I also know that the people/person who may get upset by this decision will realize that similar decisions have been made by them. If this is making no sense to you, that's ok. :) But I guarantee that all four of my BM's know exactly what I'm referring to here. AND THAT'S WHY I LOVE THEM! :)

Okay, on to funner things! Now that all the big details are out of the way (venue, food, cake, DJ, bridesmaid dresses, flowers, photographer, centerpieces ... am I missing anything??!) are more or less covered, I get to focus on the smaller but sooo important details. Point at hand right now is the candy bar! I am so excited about this. Right now this is my vision:




More or less. Except with my colors and way better candy. Oh man. And I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve - but I can't give all my secrets away now can I??!

And my AMAZING cousin Carlie has been AWESOME! She's going to make these amazing pomanders for me to put on the chairs outside to bring some color to the ceremony. Something along these lines:



Do you love it?! Do you understand the amount of work that's going to have to be put in to these? I feel so honored that she would be not only willing but HAPPY to make these for me for my wedding. She's so crafty! I do not have that gene. Envious. Oh and she's doing alot more too! But again - I want to leave some surprises for the 3 of you that do read this blog. Heehee! <3 I love you all! Just over six months to go!

Back in the swing of things

SO! I feel like wedding plans have really been put on the back burner with everything else that's been going on recently! We had the holidays, then new year, the moving, families b-days and Valentine's Day ... Gramma coming to visit (shoutout to GRAMMA! <3 Love you :)) Not to mention, ya know, full time jobs and such!

But everything has calmed down a bit now and that makes me happy and back in 'wedding mode' if you will! My mom and sister came down Sunday and we got flowers and bridesmaid dresses taken care of! We went with a really sweet lady who owns her own company "Flowers by Jodi". We decided to go with orange unique roses, hot lady pink roses, raspberry gerbera daisies, and yellow orange freesia. Something like this:













With accents of these little berries:



I decided on a hand tied bouquet, I think with an orange ribbon, but with this sort of theme:



I also picked out my bridesmaid dresses! It was soo hard to find my color since everyone has different interpretations of coral (it's seriously ridiculous) but I went with this in coral:



All of my lovely ladies will look so good in it, I am uber excited. More news soon!

Trip to Camp Verde

Yesterday, Caitlin and I went to Camp Verde. Well, more like she went and I tagged along for a little mini road trip. It was oodles of fun! First we went to see my sister and work, and she gave us food. :) Jason came and ate with her and I, then we all headed to the casino to see Ray (he bartends there) and his brother Kyle, who I haven't seen in ages. We got hooked up with a few drinks and just laughed about old memories for a while. Afterward, we went to Ray's place to grab a few of Cait's things she hasn't had since she left CV. We met up with Jessica and had some Taco Bell and just giggled at some old pictures and how different things were then. Then we took some new pics of our own. We are a pretty epic trio. ;) Last, we stopped by my mom and Steve's place, and my mom and Cait finally got to meet. It was a quick trip, but we got to see alot of old friends and really just bond. I love that girl. :)

Sandbar!

Sunday part 2 (there's a reason I'm wearing the same outfit in all these posts ok? One day people!) Josh and I met my sister Lisa and her hubby Tyson at this place called Sandbar. We'd never been there before, but when I got the good news that she would be traveling TWO HOURS just to see us (how sweet, right?) and needed a good place to watch the Steelers/Chargers game, I knew this place would be perfect from what I've heard of it. And luckily I was right! It was great! It was literally a sand-bar... sandy beach like setting with a pool and cabanas and all! Inside there were like 103 flat screen tvs (not really but there were TONS!) to watch the game - which I think the guys were into more than us (can you tell who Tyson was going for? Hm?) Haha, it was so fun, I also loving hanging out with them! It definitely doesn't seem like we only get to do this once a year! And it's out turn to go out of our way, so fingers crossed, Utah here we come pretty soon! Ssh! It's a secret. ;)

Bridal expo

Last Sunday, my mom, my future mother in law and my sister came up to go to the Bridal Expo with me. It was fun fun fun! There were sooo many expos - unbelievable amounts of information. Overload almost. But it was cool to take in all these different ideas at one place and taste yummy samples of caterers and cake! And it was amazing how much fun it was to hang with all my favorite ladies together and well we all got along together. It made me truly happy! :) Afterward, we did a girl's lunch at Olive Garden and had some delicious food. After that, we were all exhausted and went home! It was a really fun day!

Caitlin & Kristy's epic night out

My BFF Caitlin is finally 21, so you know we had to celebrate! She came to Phoenix and stayed with us 2 nights, it was too much fun. She came in on a Wednesday night, and the boys were being homebodies, so we rocked a local dive bar by ourselves. Niiiice! It was oodles of fun just getting to chill with her over some (legal) cocktails and catching up. After some pineapple juice and vodkas, a few red headed sluts (Cha cha destiny!) and some cheap beer we went to CVS to pick up a prescription ... who knew how much fun that could be?? The guy at the drive through window haaated us and our buzzed humor in everything .... but it just really made it even funnier. Then you know it was time to get some grub. And really, what's better after you drink than some Jack in the Box? Not much my friend. Oh, unless it's Caitlins boobs AT Jack in the Box. That's pretty good. C'mon, how can you not love this girl?! She's hilarious. So, we got home and ate, and watched some Katt Williams. Oh man. "This shit right HERE?" It was too funny! She is amazing. I heart her! I can't wait til she comes to visit again!



P.S. - Sorry, Gramma. :D Love you. <3

New house!

We are going to sign the lease tonight to rent a house! We're very excited - it's a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath house (with a yard and garage and a FULL SIZE FRIDGE! Oh, the things you take for granted after 4 years of apartment living!) It's 2 story and really cute in a great subdivision. Our master bedroom is HUGE! The dogs will love having the yard and Fritz will go nuts over the stairs. We officially have a spare bedroom for anyone who wants to stay! This is my good news for the month. We move in on February 1st ... anyone want to help us move? ;)