Wedding Wednesday: Our Wedding Day Details

We're Married!!

Wow - it's been a long time since I wrote a Wedding Wednesday post.  I guess since we're married now, there really isn't much more to write about.  However, I thought I would share one last post with the details of our wedding day. The details include vendors I worked with and a few memories of the day...

Please do me a favor by visiting, and liking the Facebook pages I share with you.  These people are awesome!

All of these pictures are courtesy of our photographer, Andrea, from Adorn Photography.  If you are from Nebraska, you should hire her.  You wont be disappointed with her work. :)

THE CHURCH

We joined Holy Spirit in the midst of going through our wedding preparations.  We wanted to do it as a "couple" and found our church home here.  Fr. Tim, who married us, gave us the best marriage experience anyone could have asked for. 

THE DRESS & ACCESSORIES

My dress was an Alfred Angelo dress.  It was the very last one I tried on during the first dress (and only) appointment.  I tried on a dress that was 2x the size I needed but still loved it. I added the sash which I found on etsy.

My sister's sister-in-law (got that?) made my veil for me.  She is so sweet. She had me look online at what I liked and put it together for me in a matter of a few days. I loved it. 

I love gold and new I wanted accents to be gold rather than silver.  I found these great shoes at ALDO.  The bracelet was from Banana Republic (with coupons, I only paid $1!) The earrings were from Francesca's and the garter was from this shop on etsy.  The garter came with a throw garter too!

HAIR & MAKEUP

My hair and makeup was done by Lore from Lore's Hair Salon. She made me feel like a million bucks!

FLOWERS

My flowers were designed by Design's By Bernie in Carroll, Iowa.  This lady is 100% fantastic! She had me come to look at my bridal bouquet 3 times before the day of the wedding to make sure it was perfect.  The bridesmaids bouquets were solid white hydrangeas.  They are hard to keep alive so Bernie was kind enough to make us an extra bridesmaids bouquet "just in case." 

BRIDESMAIDS

I asked each of my bridesmaids to pick out their own pink or coral dress.  I didn't have any say in the matter - they coordinated this perfectly on their own! OMG! I did this for a couple of reasons; First, I wanted everyone to be able to pick a dress that they could rock.  If you look good, you have a lot more fun! Second, I wanted them to purchase a dress within their price range.  They were not meant to "go broke" for our wedding.  We already asked a lot of them!

GROOM + GROOMSMEN

My husband and the groomsmen are not "tux" guys.  My husband made that clear before we were even engaged. Instead, we went to a nice men's store where Adam picked out a nice pair of dress pants and nice white shirt that they were able to purchase.  They were 100 times more comfortable.  Adam and I gave them these ties from Ties.com.

PROGRAMS & GUESTBOOK

For our guestbook, I created an album on Shutterfly which was a reflection of our dating life and engagement. I wanted it to be something we opened again from time to time. I designed the programs myself (with a little help from a friend) and had them professionally printed. I knew exactly what I wanted and brought the vision to life!

CAKE & DECORATIONS

I had our wedding cake made locally by Sweet Things.  It was meant to be simple and it was. I love what she did with the frosting. 

I kept the decorations simple too. I made these glitter vases and filled them with fake peonys I found at Walmart. We borrowed the mirrors and added tea lights.

SOME OF MY FAVORITES FROM THE DAY

I will always remember this moment when I met Adam in the church before pictures started.  It was the most perfect, honest, and true moment I have ever experienced.

 

We had to most fun wedding party anyone could have asked for! We brought together two completely different groups of friends that meshed perfectly. It was so fun to spend a whole entire day with our best friends!

Since we got married in a small Iowa town it was only necessary to go to another small town down the road to kick off our celebration after the ceremony.  Little did these ladies know what they were in for...

(I love this picture!)

This bar's name may be the "Angry Beaver" but we know it as the "Animal Bar." Yes, those animals were once alive and have been in this bar for years... If you are ever traveling in western, Iowa on highway 30, stop in at the Angry Beaver in Maple River Junction, Iowa. It's an experience!

The reception was super fun.  Our DJ was outstanding so I credit some of the fun had that night to him. Confetti and all! The floor was packed all night long, until about 1:00am!

Well friends, our wedding journey was really fun. Thanks for letting me share it with you.  If you are interested in the rest of my Wedding Wednesday posts that include planning tips visit my wedding page.

I can't wait for what's to come next!

Master Bedroom Update

Believe it or not, I have not done anything (drastic) to our master bedroom since I moved here 2+ years ago! I know, it doesn't sound like a big deal but if you know me, you know I can't just leave things they way there.  I get bored often. And, to be honest, I really like our master bedroom the way it is.

But then, I found a duvet from Pottery Barn that was screaming my name.  Which led to making some minor updates to our master bedroom.

Here is a look at my master plan!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

I don't plan to change the wall color - I absolutely love Sherwin Williams Repose Gray! It is  a bright color that reflect so much natural light in our south-facing bedroom. 

The duvet from Pottery Barn is called the Pearson Snowflake Duvet.  The word 'snowflake' has kind of been tricking my mind into thinking this duvet is winter-only. But I don't think it's that winter-y and with a throw pillow covered in this Kate Spain fabric, I think I will love it!

I also have a few 8x10 wedding photos on the way from Shutterfly that I'll add to the space.

Hopefully I'll have this space pulled together next weekend and then you'll see the after!

High Five For Friday

One | I've been working at finishing a bottle of wine this week.  It's been good. :)

Two | I gave into temptation and bought the duvet cover from Pottery Barn that I've had my eye on for awhile.

Three| One my way to get the duvet cover, I got rock star parking.  This NEVER happens at this mall.

Four| I am still plugging away at greeting cards for an etsy shop.  This week I am working on creating sets of cards.

Five| I am such a push over.  I let Axe in the house while I was making supper. She's not much help but she is so well behaved. 

Hope you all have had a great week!

This week on the blog..

I shared some of the paint colors I've used in our home.

I am offering my blogging presentation as a free download. Enjoy!

Blogging Workshop Recap and FREE Presentation Download!

Last week I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to present two workshops on blogging at the Iowa Travel Association conference in Waterloo, Iowa!  My workshop was part of a series of "Sixty on Social" workshop options that participants could attend regarding the use of social media to drive their businesses. 

Even though my blog focus is interior design some of the same basic blogging etiquette applies as do ideas to drive business through blogging just like I've used to build my e-design business.

The feedback on my one-hour workshop was positive and since many of you expressed interest, I am making this presentation available to you!  Just keep in mind that the ideas are my own, unless otherwise noted, and I offer suggestions that (unfortunately) don't guarantee business success.  How's that for a disclaimer?! :)

If you have thought of starting a blog or a business as an extension of your blog, hopefully you find this presentation helpful!

Click here to download my presentation for free!

Cheers!

Paint Colors In My Home

If you ask me, its hard to choose paint colors so I am always on the look out for paint color recommendations.  Over the past year or so I've come across a few paint colors that I love and have used in my own home.  If you're on the hunt for the perfect paint color, hopefully this helps!

Bedroom Walls - Sherwin Williams Repose Gray (SW7015)

  

Main floor bathroom cabinet - Sherwin Williams Thunder Gray (SW7645)

Entryway walls - Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray (SW7029)

Home office cabinets - Sherwin Williams Slow Green (SW6456)

High Five For Friday

Cheers to Friday!

one| I finally took the time to make new business cards that reflected my name change. I also used my new stamp from Etchy Things. 

two| I am in love with gold foil right now. I saw this print on Pinterest and went on the hunt for it.  I found it in the Lara Casey Shop. 

three| Our little puppy is growing up.  Even though she is in her wild stage - this look still melts my heart. 

four| I gave a presentation on blogging this week at a conference here in Iowa. It was well received and I was reminded of how much I like speaking and presenting workshops.  (I'll make this presentation available to you all soon.)

five| I made a stop at Hobby Lobby this week and to my surprise the stamps were on sale. Starting an etsy shop with handmade greeting cards is still on my mind....

Plus one!! (Yes, I have a plus one....) My Home Office Reveal was featured by Michelle over at Ten June. I feel honored that she shared my office. Thanks Michelle!

This week on the blog...
A Salted Nut Roll Snack Mix

The mood board link party + GIVEAWAY - go enter to win! :)

and, One black dress, two ways

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

One black dress, two ways

It's true, I love getting dressed up and shopping for new clothes but sometimes I need to figure out how to wear things more than once.  I bought this black dress for under $30 and experimented with a couple of different ways I could wear it.

Casual

Dress: JCP (out of stock)

Jean Jacket: Express

Boots: Target (old, very old)

 Dressy

Dress: JCP (out of stock)

Belt: Target

Clutch: TJMaxx

Shoes: JCP (out of stock, check stores for clearance)

I prefer the dressed up look myself but I love the shoes I'm wearing - they go great with skinny and cropped jeans too!

October Mood Board Link Party + A Giveaway!

Hi Everyone!  It's been awhile since I've hosted a mood board link party for interior design bloggers but recently I've gotten quite a few requests to bring it back so I thought, why not?!  We are getting into winter when house projects and dreams of home updates can take shape so I invite you to get inspired by all of the fantastic design that have been linked up!

Super simple requests for the link up:

1|| Follow my blog via GFC, Bloglovin, or Facebook - I'll definitely follow back!
2|| Link up as many mood boards or e-designs as you would like!
3|| Check out the designs by other bloggers - I always find inspiration and new shops to check out!
4|| Tweet about the link up or share it on your Facebook page
5|| Link back to this post.

I pin all of your design boards to my Pinterest account from your original post to help drive traffic to your blog!

I am also giving away a virtual room consult to one lucky reader! Sign up to win below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Salted Nut Roll Snack Mix

I have had this snack mix a hundred times this fall. Then, the one hundred first time I ate this salted nut roll snack mix, it finally dawned on me that I should share this yummy goodness with you.  Get ready.... this is a tough one to make (not).

Combine the following ingredients:

- Dry Roasted Peanuts

- Candy Corns

- M & M's (I just used two large, snack size bags you find in the check out line)

Mix it together and Ta-Da - Salted Nut Roll Snack Mix!

Thanks to my neighbors for introducing me to this treat!

High Five For Friday!

One | I found the most yummy, crunchy grapes in the grocery store this week.  It's kind of a big deal since we live so far west of Des Moines that I think we are one of the last stops for the produce delivery. 

Two | One of my co-workers introduced me to this Starbucks drink - I'm hooked! Try Raspberry Pomegranate.

Three | I made the top 100 star performers list at our work gym. I may be 97 but I did make it. I think this should automatically make you believe I am in excellent shape! :)

Four | I ordered a custom stamp for with my blog logo from Etchy Things on Etsy! Super excited about it!

Five | Last week I decide to change my look and cut some bangs. Apparently they are the fall trend. It's a definite change but I plan to rock them for awhile!

Here's what happened on the blog this week...

I finally gave a little tour of our entryway.

Check out the decor items I am loving lately. 

I added a PayPal option in my side bar for those of you who might be interested in an e-design or virtual room consult.

I hope you all have had a great week!  And, if you would, keep my farming and ranching friends from South Dakota in your thoughts and prayers. The snowstorm last week brought a lot of heartache and devastation. They could use your positivity!

Decor Items I'm Loving

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Here are a few items that have been catching my eye lately as I am working on client e-designs. I keep trying to decide how and where I can get them to fit them in my home, especially the trunk - I think it would make a perfect coffee table. Too bad our living room is really small. :(  

Since I may not be able to figure out how to get these things in my home right now I figured you might like them for yours?!  Enjoy!

Welcome to our home - A tour of our entryway

This post has been a long time coming - wow! We started our garage addition project well over a year and a half ago. Our entry way was part of that addition.  Originally we were just going to create a breezeway between the house and garage but decided to go for a full entryway instead.  We are SO thankful we did because we added more storage and more space - two things you  need when you live in an old farmhouse.

Before I get to the after pictures here are a couple of "in progress pictures.

The old entryway started where the tile started. It was pretty teeny-tiny!

We put a heated floor in our garage. That heated floor continued into our entryway - bonus!

Now... here is the entryway as it is today!

The view out of our patio doors is our south pasture. This guy keeps a close watch. :)

Where did I get my stuff you ask... here is your answer.

Custom area rug -  The Perfect Rug

Hunter Boots Print - Bright Bold & Beautiful

Mirror & Bench - Target

Deer head pillow - Regan's Brain

Iowa map canvas - DIY

Living Life Print - Wedding Gift

Color- Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams SW7029

There are still a few minor things we are already going to update like changing out the door to the garage and re-painting the outside doors to a darker color.  We can seem to use the door handles to shut the door so we always have handprints on the white doors.  Stay tuned for the updates!

High Five For Friday!

Yay for Friday! Here are my high 5!

one| We've had some nice nights here in Iowa which called for a drink on the front porch. 

two| I had a surprise visit from one of my best friends, Cynthia, this week! The best part is that she is moving to Iowa soon so I'll get to see her more often - woohoo!!

three| Our little puppy, 'Axe' is growing like crazy! She is quickly becoming a great partner on walks.

four| The sun is starting to go down a little earlier these days.  The good news is that it makes for a beautiful sunset.

five| Rolos have been my candy of choice lately. Yum!

In case you're curious what's happened on the blog recently...

I shared my love for dark walls.

Described what it means to be a farm widow.

And... revealed my farmhouse basement turned home office.

Cheers to you!

It's That Time of Year Again...

In yesterday's blog post I mentioned being a "farm widow." I should probably explain what that means before you start to all feel bad for me thinking that we just got married and my husband all of a sudden passed away.  That is not the case - he is very much alive and well! :)

Being a farm widow actually refers to harvest (or planting) when your husband, who is a farmer, becomes so busy that you hardly see or talk to him. While this means that I get to paint walls an absurdly dark color and re-decorate without any objections it is actually more than that!

It requires patience and understanding. It means late dinners which are sometimes eaten in the field. Doing chores when I get home from work and extra errands.

Most importantly it means being so proud of your husband that all you can do is smile and brag about him because he is doing what he truly loves while at the same time putting others first by feeding and fueling our world. That is what a farmer does.  It's pretty incredible to see his hard work pay off.

I have to be honest, I'm not great at fulfilling all these requirements, like patience and understanding, because I start to miss him. Fortunately, I grew up with parents who were full-time farmers so I "get it."

So, when I say "It's that time of year again" I'm not referring to fall decorating and pumpkins I'm actually referring to taking on a different role as a wife, one I'm happy to fulfill.

As for the fun stuff, I'm going to buckle down, be brave and do some re-decorating around the house while no one is around to tell me "no".  I'll also be focusing a little more my e-design business. Be on the look out for new projects and client updates!

I'll leave you with this cool picture from the walk 'Axe' and I went on last night...

Cheers!

I'm In Love With Dark Walls

Ever since I went to AB Chao's design camp (I know I've talked about it a lot lately but I seriously learned a lot) I have been IN LOVE with dark walls.  They definitely require some bravery but I think they are totally worth it because all of a sudden all of your  beautiful things standout in the room!

Here are some perfect examples of what I mean...

All images sourced from Pinterest. To see original sources visit my Pinterest board.

You probably realized that when I say dark walls I mean, nearly black.

Harvest has begun in Iowa which means that I am officially a "farm widow!" (aka totally on my own to do what I please...sorta) Farm widows get to do all sorts of cool stuff, like paint walls nearly black without their husband objecting.  It's a pretty cool thing, really!

A dark wall will soon make an appearance in our home on the north wall of our dining room! :)

Stay tuned...