Grey Likes Weddings Rockin' a new rock?!

According To Lady Brunette

A Serious Head Case

a lovely fascinator or veil, that is the question...

As we inch closer and closer to our wedding date, it’s time to finalize the ‘little’ details that come along with the big day {table numbers, escort cards, favors, dress alterations, etc.}. My dress is almost perfect, just a few more tweaks here and there. I have the shoes and jewelry picked out, but what is left is the final piece to tie everything together – the head piece. Our wedding is traditional and while I can see myself wearing a veil when I walk down the aisle, I am also very much a head piece kind of gal. I love the concept of fascinators, which may stem from this blog post I wrote ages ago. After doing research I came across Handmade by Sara Kim and instantly fell in love with her pieces – one in particular – but I wanted to share my top four head pieces from the collection.

Let me know your favorite below!
Left to Right: One | Two | Three | Four
Source: Handmade by Sara Kim, Graphic Designed by Samantha Peterson

 

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According To Lady Brunette

DIY Save the Dates

when you take things into your own hands

After much internal turmoil and debate, I decided to design and print our save the dates {I briefly toyed with this idea in this post}. I went through many drafts before creating the final save the date that we mailed to our guests. In addition to using a photo from our engagement session, we added a magnet backing so our guests wouldn’t easily loose our save the date weeks from now. I printed our save the dates at my office as well as mailed them out through our office mail room, this allowed to me to save money on all aspects of this process.
I initially scoured Wedding Paper Divas and Minted to find the perfect design, however; the price tag halted me from ever pulling the trigger. A girlfriend of mine used Paperless Post to email and print her destination wedding invitations and I briefly looked into that as well. In the end, for our budget, it worked out best for me to design them. Next up on the design block is our invitation suite which I will be designing as well!
Below are a few drafts that didn’t make the cut for one reason or another, I can’t wait to reveal the final product!

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Did you send out Save the Dates, did you do a paper invite or magnet? A postcard by chance? Leave a comment below letting us know your plan for Save the Dates?

According To Lady Brunette

Capturing the Moments

engagement session captured by aly carroll photography

It’s been awhile since I’ve checked in! There is much to catch you up on in regards to the #McClellandWedding {still testing out hashtags…#five31fourteen #CodyAndSamantha}. Since I last wrote, we’ve captured the second half of our engagement session with our photographer, Aly Carroll, finalized our table decor and floral arrangements, and I successfully designed and printed our save the dates, which I hope to get in the mail next week!

Below are a handful of my favorite snaps from our engagement sessions. We split our session into two rounds, capturing a warm summer evening and my favorite season of all, fall. We ended up having to reschedule the second session multiple times due to weather but we were finally captured the last bit of sunshine before winter arrived in full force. Let’s just say I have a special place in my heart for fall and the changing leaves.

My advice on dressing for your engagement photos is to simply dress like yourself, just elevated. In twenty years you will not want to look back and say, “Why did I wear that?!” If you are comfortable with what you are wearing, your true emotions will be captured of how much you love your fiancé!

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Images: Photography by Aly Carroll Photography | Styling by The Brunette One

According To Lady Brunette

A Pink + Gold Bridal Shower

a pampered chef bridal shower

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This past weekend I was blessed to have attended my first bridal shower hosted by my very talented aunts. As noted in this post, I had a Pampered Chef Bridal Shower. It’s safe to say I am set on kitchen and cookware from here on out. As someone who is a self-proclaimed ‘non-cook’, I’m excited to put all of our new kitchen additions to good use!

For the decor, my aunts were stumped until I granted them access to my private wedding Pinterest board. Some could consider it a bit Persian Chic inspired. Pink and gold details, a cocktail entitled Little Pink Dress, a DIY tassel garland and large pink paper flowers.  As for the food, salted caramel macaroons and red velvet mini cupcakes, Watermelon Sour Patch Kids, and of course, a personal request for my grandma’s homemade chex mix {I’m addicted}.

After all of my guests arrived, I partnered up with our Pampered Chef host and created a tasty fruit salsa that I had to create in front my audience, talk about pressure. Using a few items that I ended up receiving in my gift haul, I managed to create a delicious appetizer that I can’t wait to recreate! Followed up with the opening of all my Pampered Chef goodies, we played two bridal shower games – Name That Movie, a quiz matching up romantic quotes to their namesake movie {I got 100%, the only bridal shower attendee to do so, man I love RomComs}, and the Purse game. It’s official, women carry their entire lives in their handbags.

I was very happy with how my shower turned out, it was exactly what I had envisioned and was so me. But most of all, I was happy to be celebrating our upcoming wedding {it finally felt real} with my closest friends and family.

Images: Samantha Peterson, The Brunette One

According To Lady Brunette

A Pampered Bridal Shower

essentials for the kitchen

In a few short weeks I will be attending my first bridal shower hosted by my aunts. After attending my sister-in-law’s shower last March, I agreed that a Pampered Chef party for us would be a great idea. While we haven’t registered yet for all of the usual items, this is a great start to updating our kitchen essentials and more. I would be the first to admit that I am not the cook in our relationship, I am often the taste-tester. With new items soon to join our kitchen, I am getting anxious to join my future hubby in the kitchen!

When we first moved in together, we received a lot of hand-me-downs, for which we are forever thankful but I am excited to receive new items that we can call our own, and some day pass down to our kids! As the weeks pass, I am anxious to begin our registry as we have many blank walls that I can’t wait to decorate with pretties from Pottery Barn and Target, in addition to our kitchen adds from Pampered Chef!

In the new few weeks we will begin our official registry, so let make sure to let us know in the comments below what items should make our must-have list!

Images: Pampered Chef