Jumping the Broom

Mr.Golden and I have decided to incorporate this African American tradition into our ceremony. Unfortunately while browsing through the internet for brooms, I couldn't really find anything that really stood out to me. The brooms were either decorated too much or too little. I would like the broom to fit in with the decor of the wedding so I have another project added to my list {i'm not complaining though!}. My idea/plan is to place it over our front door inside our home after the wedding {hence, threshold}.

I have some inspirations flowing around in my head, so maybe this summer I'll do a trial run through. In the meantime, these brooms are pretty cute but not exactly what I have in mind.

photo credit: Stuart Creations

Add a Few More Golden Moments

I started this week off by saying I had a lot of updates, so I'll end the week with this last piece of info:

On Wednesday there was a showcase at my venue. I went solo because Mr.Golden had to work, but I met up with a few friends I've met since the start of my wedding planning who are all getting married there as well {gotta love the internet!}. The weather was tolerable and it inspired me to take a walk through the garden. With each step I took, I wondered what types of memories Mr.Golden and I will make in those spots. Even with the little bit of wind that was blowing, I felt warm and fuzzy inside.

As I made my way back to the reception room I passed the ceremony location and took it upon myself to walk down the aisle. What an amazing feeling that is! I felt right at home, until the peacock started interrupting my thoughts with its hawking {boy oh boy are they loud}!

As I opened the door to go back inside, my mind was made up on what I was about to do next. I found my banquet manager {who is an absolute sweetheart} and said, "I need to add an extra hour to my reception!"

Yep you read correctly! One more hour to celebrate the love between my soulmate and I. Looks like we can do those table visits with no complaints after all! For anyone who is a faithful reader of my blog, you know how much sleep I lost over this. I know we have the rest of our lives to celebrate our love, but every bride has something(s) that they are unwilling to sacrifice and this is one of those things for me.

One more hour to hold my husband just a little longer, just a little tighter, just a few more songs to dance to...

seen on: project wedding

Pimp My Ride!

I'll be adding this to my list of projects!

photo credit: Delightful Designs

My sister is having a boy!!! I have a ring bearer!!! And he will only be 11 months by the time of the wedding so my little pumpkin will have to ride in style since he may not be walking. What's even better is that once he gets tired at the reception, it can convert to a bed- now how golden is that?!?

Baby bling anyone? {now this may be a bit too "extra" even for my taste! lol}

photo credit: Arista Brat

Show Some I.D. Please!

To have an adult only wedding or not: that is the question. I don't think there's anything wrong with kids at a wedding- just not mine...lol. Okay that wasn't very nice, was it?

Well let me clarify, there will be children at our wedding, but ONLY the children who are in the bridal party. I think that's fair enough. Mr. Golden and I just think it's best that way so I won't go into the boring reasons why we came to that conclusion.

But even with my "adult only zone" mind frame, I do get all tickled with joy when I come across photographs of kids at weddings- especially when they're up to mischief!

photo credits: Alain Martinez Photography

photo credit: Ross Oscar Knight Photography

Are you welcoming all children with open arms, or do you have restrictions as well?

Make Me Over

I'm so super excited to have another wedding vendor taken care of...my makeup artist. Well, let me back track, it's not 100% official {but you might as well say it is}. I go for my trial in May when I do my engagement pictures. I have been eyeing this person's work for a while and I would just put it on the back burner. But the little voice in my mind kept saying, "this is what/who you want."

Makeup is extremely important to me even though I don't wear it on a daily basis {except a little eye shadow & concealer to hide my sleep deprived eyes!}. My motto is, If I'm paying "X" amount in photograpy and video, I want to be able to love the way I look when I see those pictures. This will be me on my wedding day:

photo credit: Daily Herald

I've decided on airbrush makeup because it's said to give a long lasting flawless, pore-less look. Plus it holds up to perspiration and doesn't rub off on clothes {which is a blessing because I am much shorter than Mr.Golden and tend to rest my face on his chest}. I can't wait for my makeup trial!

Bridal Shower Updates

Have you ever had moments where you feel like you have so much to write about but you just don't know where to start? That's sorta how I've been the past few days. I have updates on a little bit of everything!

I think one of the exciting updates of all is that my bridal shower is no longer going to be a surprise. I talked about my bridal shower visions here. It was supposed to be a surprise up until last week when I found the most gorgeous dress {pics to come later}. It is a dress that requires a certain look and I need to be prepared. With a little persuasion {and after promising that my baby shower can be a surprise}, my mom gave up the details. Honestly, what she had already worked on far exceeded my expectations and now I am even more excited {2 grand kids for you mom! wink wink. lol}.

Here's a sneak peak of where my bridal shower will be:

Greeting Freakout!

I am going down in wedding hell history for this one if I don't get my words out the proper way. I have been trying to figure out the best and most time efficient way to greet all of our guest. ::Exhale:: There, I said it!

Not that I don't want to spend time with my guests {because I honestly do}, I just don't want to be {how do I say this nicely}, interrupted the entire night. If it were up to me, I would have a three day weekend wedding affair and spend tons on quality time with each one of my family and friends. However, the blunt reality is that I have FOUR HOURS {not including cocktail hour} to mix and mingle. {Do you see where this is heading!}

Technically I have three options:
1) Do a receiving line
2) Join my guests at cocktail hour
3) Do table visits

I have issues with all of these options! Let's go through them, shall we!

A receiving line is cool and all, but I feel like they fit the best with church weddings. We aren't having a church wedding. And even if we did a receiving line, it's still common courtesy to make table visits. My other issue is that my cocktail hour starts IMMEDIATELY after the ceremony. I don't want people to miss out on the food and roaming the garden by holding them up in a line.

The next option is actually taking part of the cocktail hour with the guests. I have major issues with this. I always dreamed of a grand entrance at the reception {the whole idea of being introduced for the first time as Mr. & Mrs.}. I feel like that would be tarnished by us going to cocktail hour. Plus, cocktail hour may be the only time I eat that day and I'd really like to do that in private with just the bridal party. I think I might be too excited to eat at dinner {which is ok because I'll take my food to the hotel!}. So this option is out.

That brings me to table visits. 150-160 guests = 15-16 tables. That seems like one hour right there, YIKES...

When you do the math, that brings 4 hours down to 3. Add in the 1st dance, bride and father, groom and mother, bouquet toss, garter removal, garter toss, anniversary dance, cutting the cake...and I'm freaking out! Where is the party time!!! Two years of planning for 2 hours!!!!

This is why I need an extra hour added to my wedding!

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words...

Or so they say. But I don't think Mr.Golden will have much to say after seeing my boudoir shoot that I'm planning to do sometime this year. I decided I wanted to do the shoot because lets face it, we all have a little Victoria Secret in all of us just screaming to come out.

I have to decide on the outfits I want for the shoot and then purchase them, but for now I've just been compiling some inspiration pictures of shots I'd like to re-create.

photo credit: Raw Photo Design

photo credits: Fedali Boudoir

Anyone else doing boudoir?

Ring Bearer Woes

Oh how delightful would it be to have a ring bearer carry these moss ring holders {my my mouth to God's ears!}.

photo credit: The Ritzy Bee Blog

photo credit: Etsy

Let Us Eat!

photo credit: Rodolfo Arpia Photographer

I'm amazed by how much this tablescape resembles what I want for my reception. Only difference is that my tables are oblong, I'm having floral centerpieces, and my table numbers will be an original Goldie creation. But, I must say that the charger plate and the way the napkin is folded with the menu tucked inside is pretty head on with what I was planning.

We're having a sit down dinner. Mr.Golden and I attended a wedding at Westbury Manor last year and I was amazed by the wait staff. The dining experience was one like I'd never had and Mr.Golden and I wanted to share that same experience with our guests. Upon being seated, our guests will pull out their menu card, tuck their napkin on their lap, and have a choice of seven delishes entrees. Here they are:

Veal Chop Fondue

Grilled and topped with melted cheeses

Amaretto Filet Mignon

Amaretto encrusted whole tenderlion of beef with red wine and strawberry glaze

Chicken Mirtillo Rosso

Breast of chicken with cranberry chutney

Shrimp and Salmon

Gulf prawn shrimp and filet of salmon pan roasted in champagne sauce

Sea Bass Provola

Baked Mediterranean Sea Bass provolone cheese and sliced tomato

North Fork

Grilled Portobello mushrooms, yellow squash, zuchini, asparagus and red and yellow Holland peppers

Duck'l Orange

Slowly roasted with apple bread stuffing served in orange glaze

Rumor has it that Mr.Golden and I get to sample all seven of these entrees at our sweetheart table...yum!

NYPD Blue

It's no secret that Mr.Golden is a police officer {i love a man in uniform}. We have a "special" relationship. Being involved with someone in the workline that he does is not easy. There is not one day that passes that I don't worry about him and pray that he makes it home safe. I used to force myself to stay awake at night while he worked just to hear his voice when he got home. That didn't last too long after strolling into work late and having racoon eyes caught up with me. Now he sends me a text message when he gets home {as not to wake me}, and it's the first thing I check for when I wake up.

Holidays are like a jack in the box because I never know which ones he'll have to work and which ones he'll spend with me. All in all, we deal with it the best way we can. I feel that it is almost inevitable that we honor his career in some sort of way with the wedding because it is a really big part of the both of us. Here's two sneak previews of how we're planning to do it:

"Fidelis Ad Mortem" {latin} Faithful Unto Death

This is a quote that the NYPD goes by. Mr.Golden and I adopted it because of it's resemblence to marriage vows. "Fidelis Ad Mortem" will be engraved into his wedding band.

photo credit: AltWed

Something Blue...NYPD Blue!

How about this nice little number under my dress! Of course I would have to put my mark on it though!

photo credit: Garters by Kristi

Is anyone else planning to incorporate careers into their wedding?

Engagement Photo Shoot Fastly Approaching

Is March seriously almost halfway done? Holy cow, I never even got the memo about January ending. But anyway now that I think about it, my engagement photo shoot is right around the corner in May. That leaves me with hardly any time to start seriously thinking about what I want to wear, how to do my hair, and scheduling the first of many {hopefully not} makeup trials.

We'll worry about one thing at a time, so today is all about hair. Since I'm doing my hair half up/half down for the wedding, I've decided to do it all down for my e-pics. Whether slightly wavy or straight, I know I want lots of volume. Here are my e-pic inspiration hair photos:

Now, on to wardrobe!

Pictures 1&2: African American Wedding Hairstyles & Hairdos
Picure3: Project Wedding

Walk on By

So remember a few months ago when I bought my wedding shoes? You know the ones I wanted to keep top secret? Well, they're not such a secret anymore for a few reasons, so I decided I might as well show you all. Hope you like them, I love them.

I sure hope I don't see a million brides with these shoes from now to my wedding, otherwise I really won't want them {i've been like that all my life}. But it's okay, I still have a whole bunch of tricks up my sleeves regarding this wedding and all my many details. I just wish my countdown would speed up a bit so I can finally be able to show them off!

One year younger!

photo credit: Maisie Fantaisie

Happy birthday to me! I wish I can have all of those cute mini cakes that you see above so that I can make a wish on each of them and blow out candles. In fact, I'd be happy with just one cake and one wish that I can be assured will come true. The unknown terrifies me and has been the cause for all my stress lately. But enough about that! Today- my birthday, I will put those worries to the side and enjoy the moment!


Have a great day everyone.

Happpy 100!

This is my 100th post! I have nothing special planned to celebrate this blogging milestone. To be quite honest, I haven't really been focusing on my wedding lately. My mind has been concentrating on a place for Mr.Golden and I to live after the wedding {well, really before}. We've decided to start actively looking by next February, but in the meantime, I've been doing my research on what's out there in our budget.

In keeping up with thoughts of a nest, My mom {golden mom} and I went and registered on Sunday. After two hours of scanning things, I'm sad to say that I'm still not done! Whoa, it's such a fun but exhausting activity! But let me show you some of my favorite items I'm really coveting!

Anchor Hocking Tifle Bowl:

Mini Trifle Set:

Egg Platter: {I make some mean deviled eggs!}

Monogram Wine Stopper:

Calphalon Contemporary Non-Stick 12 piece set:

Cuisinart Fondue Set:

Oh, and here's the real apple of my eye, my dinnerware:

My birthday is on Monday...maybe one of these things will come my way...lol. ;-)